Knox Magazine - Spring 2016 by Knox College

SPRING 2016

Margo Shively, Lecturer in Theatre, Designer & Supervisor of the 6 5 1 2

PETER BAILLEY ’74

Margo Shively shares her “ofﬁce” with as many as a dozen students at a time. Perhaps that's not suprising: Theatre is one of the most collaborative of academic disciplines, and her workspace—the costume shop in the basement of Ford Center for the Fine Arts—is no exception. Each term, Margo works with students to design and create the costumes for mainstage productions. And she’s done this since 1984, when she joined the department after spending nearly a decade designing clothes for the fashion industry. In addition to offering her expertise, advice, and friendship to Knox students, she is also an active member of the United States Institute for Technology and consults with designers at the Guthrie Theatre, Utah Shakespeare Festival, and American Players Theatre, among other companies.

Welcome to her “ofﬁce.”

Open Door Costume Shop

1. Spider legs designed with Franzesca Mayer ’13; worn by Lena Brandis ’13 as Tartagliona in the 2013 production of The Green Bird. 2. Wings designed with Allison Smith ’10; worn by Devan Cameron ’10 as the Angel in the 2010 production of Angels in America. 3. Tape with names on bulletin board: Work enough in the costume shop and you get a box for your stuff, with your name on a piece of tape. Lately, as students graduate, they’ve posted those tapes on the costume shop bulletin board. As of spring 2016: Magdalena “Lani” Tortoriello ’08, Megan Hall ’08, Kelsey Ingle ’11, Kate Donoghue ’12, Allison Smith ’10, Carla Hamilton ’10, Aisha Mergaert ’12, Alice Fredrickson ’11, Katie O’Connor ’12, Peter Glinsmann ’10, Paul Lurenz ’12, Alyssa Kennamer ’14, Hannah Compton ’14, Evelyn Langley ’14, Miranda Loeber ’14, Chloe Luetkemeyer ’14, Carly Berinstein ’15, Autumn Rohweder ’15, Molly Olson ’14, Franzesca Mayer ’13, Lena Brandis ’13, Mikah Berky ’09, Nick Perry ’08, Analise Rahn ’10, Pat Topping ’12, Matt “Hundles” Hundley ’09, Katerina Chernykhivska ’10.

4. Infintely generous with attention, advice and patience, Margo often refers to her work with students simply as “problem solving.” Here, she works with sophomore Willa Coufal during this year’s Repertory Theatre Term. 5. Masks designed with Franzesca Mayer ’13 for the 2012 production of Twelfth Night. 6. Horse head mask designed by Margo for the 2005 production of Skriker.

MAGAZINE VOLUME 100, ISSUE 1

SPRING 2016

Life as a Transgender Man Sean Gormley ’96 candidly shares his story of coming out as a transgender man with friend and classmate Philippa Cumming Stasiuk ’96.

Page 7

Max Utsler Goes Pro

Departments

Learn how a former Knox hardballer found a place in Major League Baseball, plus a few tips on how to keep score the old-fashioned way this baseball season.

Page 10

The Age of Anxiety

Open Door

Inside front cover

2 East South Street

Page 4

The South Lawn

Page 26

Knox Writes

Page 38

Class Knox

Page 41

Parting Shot

Inside back cover

Read about the ways that Knox is addressing and enhancing the wellness needs of today’s students.

Page 14

Unpacking an Honors Project Ever wonder what it takes to complete an Honors project in chemistry? Follow the step-by-step process involved as senior Brad Musselman explores liquid crystals.

On the cover: The results of senior Brad Musselman’s Honors project in chemistry. To read more about his research, see page 18. Photo by Evan Temchin ’10.

Page 18

layout designers Ami Jontz

assistant editor Pam Chozen

Contributors, Writing & photography

assoCiate editor

Adriana Colindres

Peter G. Bailley ’74,

Evan Temchin ’10

News & Photography

Special thanks to Melissa Arney and Lori Reed.

Becky Hale

Cheri Siebken

Knox Magazine is published twice yearly by the Ofﬁce of Communications, Box K-233, Knox College, Galesburg, IL 61401-4999; Phone: 309-341-7760; Fax: 309-341-7718; E-mail: knoxmag@knox.edu. It is distributed free of charge to Knox alumni, students, parents, and friends. The magazine welcomes information and story ideas. Please query before submitting manuscripts. ISSN: 0047-3499

Niki Acton ’16 Visit us online at www.knox.edu/knoxmag.

PETER BAILLEY ’74

editor Megan Scott ’96

Rep Term XVII Students perform in The Secret in the Wings, one of the two productions in this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Repertory Theatre Term, a.k.a. Rep Term. The only undergraduate theatre immersion program in the United States, Rep Term combines academic study with all of the experiences that one would gain in operating a professional repertory theatre company.

Editor’s Note A New Fire is Burning

ne of the things I love most about my job at Knox (aside from editing Knox Magazine, of course) is encountering new projects each year. During my time here, I’ve overseen the launch of a new website, helped to produce the College’s first livestream broadcast, welcomed a sitting U.S. president to campus, learned more about hashtags and social media analytics than I ever thought possible, and, most recently, helped to roll out a new logo for Prairie Fire athletics. Of all of these projects, I think I learned the most—and had the most fun—on the Prairie Fire logo. Now I’m not known to be a huge sports enthusiast. I appreciate a good baseball game, particularly if I’m at the ballpark with a beer and some peanuts, and I will partake in the annual ritual known as March Madness, especially if Michigan State makes the tournament (my love of the MSU Spartans makes little sense, but runs deep). And between my oldest daughter’s participation in youth soccer and the Prairie Fire soccer teams’ amazing seasons, my love of the sport is growing. But participating in the logo redesign process helped me truly appreciate the importance of athletics for a school like Knox. It made me think about what an athletics logo—and the athletics program itself—represents for the College and our community: history, tradition, excellence, community, and pride. I worked more closely with our athletics department than ever before and came to better understand the process behind ordering uniforms and outfitting our courts and fields. I experienced firsthand the excitement of our studentathletes when they first saw a version of the new logo. And I watched as an energized crowd decked out in flame hats cheered on the men’s and women’s basketball teams on the day of the logo reveal. (My family even joined me for the event, flame hats proudly displayed.) I’m proud of the new Prairie Fire logo. It’s bold; it’s exciting; it looks like a prairie fire! I’m proud of the work that went into its creation and promotion. And I’m especially proud of those flame hats—seeing a crowd of purple, yellow, and orange flames was pretty impressive. Go Fire! —Megan Scott ’96

“It’s bold; it’s exciting; it looks like a prairie fire!”

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

2 East South Street Letters to the Editor Missing Background Color

Class Notes, Fountain of Youth?

Great photo essay on the Monument Valley/Four Corners area in your fall 2015 publication. But missing was some background color—Knox College owned the famous landmark Goulding’s Trading Post for about a year (1988-89) or so. Not mentioned in the article and forgotten by many, just a side note to the essay. —David Riske ’73

Well done! I read and enjoyed every page of the latest Knox Magazine that arrived in today's mail. Of course, the Class Notes was indeed a highlight! The content, layout, photography, and inserts were exceptional. I liked the “Transformative Moment” insert. Best news yet, the Class of ’76 is back beyond the staple! I had told fellow alumni that I knew that I was getting older when our Class Notes section fell before the center staple! Your latest issue made me feel young(er)! —Ann Feldman Perille ’76

Editor’s Note: Mr. Riske reminds us of a fascinating connection in Knox’s history. Harry Goulding and his wife, Leone (also known as Mike), were good friends of beloved Knox professor Samuel Moon and transferred ownership of the famous Goulding Lodge, where John Ford ﬁlmed many Westerns, to Knox in 1962. You can read more about the history of Goulding’s Lodge in Samuel Moon’s Tall Sheep: Harry Goulding, Monument Valley Trader. The lodge was sold to new owners in 1981 and, upon their passing in 1993, the Gouldings established the Goulding Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarship assistance to Navajo students or students living in the Four Corners regional of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. The fund also supports the teaching on the Navajo Reservation immersive program, in which Knox students spend two weeks with Navajo teachers and students in reservation elementary schools.

Kudos & Fond Memories Just wanted to commend you for a great recent edition of your mag. Chock full of fascinating substance. Very well done. I am not an alum but have taught in poli sci on and off over the decades, have many dear friends at Ol’ Siwash, many of whom, like Seibert, R. Anderson, Steckley, and others are fading from the scene. —Jim Nowlan

Send us your letters! Knox Magazine welcomes the opinions and comments of its readers. Write to the Editor, Knox Magazine, Box K-233, 2 East South Street, Galesburg, IL 614014999, or e-mail knoxmag@knox.edu. Letters should refer to material published in the magazine and may be edited for length or clarity.

Correction On the announcement of the death of Marion Murphy in the fall 2015 issue, we inadvertently omitted the name of her son, Jim Murphy ’82. We regret this error.

From One Editor to Another Dear Editor, A very smart editorial. Like you, I loved class notes until I was responsible for them, then I hated them. Now, of course, I love them again! —Susan “Laurie” Hall Muelder ’63 (and former editor of Knox Magazine)

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

From the President New Thinking for the 21st Century

KENT KRIEGSHAUSER

wo blocks from Old Main, the steel skeleton of the Whitcomb Art Building has been taking shape over the winter months. I well remember the very beginning of this project, when I first walked the site with Professor Mark Holmes from the art department, and we imagined a beautiful, technologically innovative space for studio art and art history at Knox. In the intervening years of planning and fundraising, I have taken as inspiration the late Steve Jobs’ wonderful observation: “It’s technology married with the liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields us the results that make our hearts sing.” And our hearts have sung as we watched a tall crane carefully maneuvering into place the giant steel beams that form the bones of the building. The Whitcomb Art Building features a bold and contemporary design, and my favorite feature is the sawtooth roof, pitched to capture desirable north light for studio art. Dating back to the 19th century, sawtooth roofs were originally designed to bring sun into large-scaled spaces, and they are making a comeback in today’s environmentally conscious times. Nothing like this building exists anywhere in Galesburg today, and we are very excited to see the building take shape as it moves from the two dimensions of flat construction documents into a three-dimensional entity that soars over its site on the east side of campus.

The building will, of course, house all the elements of the College’s art program: painting, printmaking, design, sculpture, ceramics, drawing, metalworking and woodworking, and art history. A two-story critique hall will provide a gallery-like setting in which to view and analyze student artwork. This will not only transform the teaching and making of art on campus, but it holds the promise of introducing Knox students to new ways of thinking that are especially suited to the 21st century. We hear much today about the need for creative problem-solving for the many challenges we face in the 21st century, and the potential that “design thinking” holds of addressing those challenges. What is design thinking? Richard Buchanan, professor of design, management and information systems at Case Western Reserve University, has called it “the new liberal arts of technological culture,” arguing that “there is no area of contemporary life where design—the plan, project, or working hypothesis which constitutes the ‘intention’ in intentional operations—is not a significant factor of shaping human experience.” He describes four broad areas in which design is manifest in contemporary life: design of symbolic and visual communications (think graphic design), design of material objects (think industrial design), design of activities and organized services (think organizational management), and design of complex systems or environments for living, working, playing, and learning (think urban planning). Design thinking in all of these realms integrates multiple and interdisciplinary perspectives to bring into being an invention that is the answer to a question, the response to a need, or the solution to a problem. Recognizing this new liberal art, the College has just approved a design minor, an integrated suite of courses that will develop our students’ capacity for design thinking.

“The Whitcomb Art Building holds the promise of introducing Knox students to new ways of thinking that are especially suited to the 21st century.”

Design thinking is especially well suited to identifying solutions to what are called “wicked” problems. The great problems of the 21st century fall into this category, including climate change, income inequality, and massive refugee movements. These problems are ill-defined, involve many stakeholders with conflicting perspectives, and are often symptoms of other problems. As the Whitcomb Art Building takes shape, I grow ever more eager to experience the many ways in which our new space will spark and feed the creativity that Knox students will bring to the wicked problems of the 21st century! —Teresa Amott 6

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

A Candid Look at Life as a Transgender Man PHOTOS AND TEXT BY PHILIPPA CUMMING STASIUK ’96

ean Gormley ’96 and I met as neighbors in Post 9, an experimental dorm housing an assortment of misfits united by a penchant for excess and the liberal application of hair henna. We forged our friendship through hacky sack, playing on the patio behind the Gizmo before, after, (and sometimes during) class. It was a different time. My surname was Cumming. Sean was still going by the name of Sue. We graduated from Knox in 1996 and, between living on different coasts and then continents, lost touch sometime in our 30s. He couldn’t come to my wedding, but he did send me a fantastic fondue set. Like most of us from our Knox days, I read about Sean’s new name when he announced it as a birthday present to himself on Facebook last year. Although Sean came out as transgender with close friends and family as early as 2004, two years ago, something happened to trigger his decision to physically transition publicly. He and his son were finishing lunch at a Chicago diner near the school where Sean teaches middle school science. Before leaving, he took Gavin into the ladies’ room, but the five-year-old caught the mistake immediately. He demanded to know why he and his dad had gone into the wrong bathroom.

Sean Gormley ’96 says nobody at Knox really knew him. Now he’s ready to reintroduce himself.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

It was a watershed moment. Though openly transgender with friends in his private life, at school he was still Ms. Gormley, and at the diner he’d worried about running into a student in the men’s room. Now his son had just witnessed him living a double life. Sean had been compartmentalizing his gender identity depending on where he was or who he was with—and he felt ashamed. He knew then that he had to be out in all parts of his life. This fall, I visited Sean in Mayfair, a neighborhood in Chicago’s North Side. Now openly living as a transgender man, he’s currently undergoing the twoyear physical transformation needed to match his body to the gender he’s been associating with since birth. He’s an FTM—female to male transsexual. Six months into a two-year course of testosterone, a steroid used to essentially induce a second puberty, Sean’s voice cracks when he talks, his face is rounder than the one I remember, and he has obvious muscle definition in his arms. He now shaves the blond whiskers that poke out above his lips. Following are excerpts from our conversation:

“People say the wrong thing out of ignorance and that hurts my feelings. But that’s not the same as discrimination.”

P: I knew you best at Knox. What were you thinking about gender identity then? S: At Knox, I started to learn the words for it. But I didn’t want to face it. I was scared. Then I took a gender identity class and that scared me even more. I worried that I’d be perceived as a freak. I remember around that same time asking my parents if I was intersex when I was born. They said no, and I burst into tears. I said, “Something is wrong with me, and I’m trying to ﬁgure it out.” P: How did you begin the process to publicly transition? S: I had a conversation with my principal. She’s very practical. She said, “Alright. Let’s ﬁgure out how we’re going to do this.” She helped me write a letter to my students’ parents explaining that I was transgender and that my preferred name is Mr. Sean Gormley. P: Your colleagues, your students, and their parents…What were their reactions? S: I asked my principal not to tell me if there were complaints from any parents. I didn’t want to be biased against their kids. But almost everybody just

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

took it in stride. And it wasn’t really any secret. When I got hired in 2008, I wore a man’s suit. In the beginning, it took my students a while to use the right pronoun. I told them my pronoun is “he,” and please refer to me that way. That first day was a little hard and uncomfortable. But I’ve been really lucky. People say the wrong thing out of ignorance and that hurts my feelings. But that’s not the same as discrimination. P: Tell me about the bureaucratic challenges of transitioning. S: That’s been intense. On the day I went to the courthouse, I wished I had someone with me. But nothing bad happened. I was just scared. The paperwork had to be notarized and then filed at the courthouse. Then I had to wait almost two months. During that time, I had to publish my name change in a newspaper. There’s a legal paper that does that. On the day of my court date, I didn’t like the way the judge looked at me. But he didn’t say anything and he approved it. I did that alone, too. Then I had to go to the social security office and the DMV to change my license.

“I’m not saying I didn’t exist. But it was like wearing a costume that I never took off.” The best part was changing my gender box on my license because all I needed was a letter from my doctor. P: What about medical care? S: The Howard Brown Center here in Chicago is amazing. They focus on transgender and LGBT health. I thought getting hormones would be one big rigmarole. The day I got hormones, they didn’t ask me questions to try and determine if this was right for me. They use a process called informed consent, which allows members of the trans community to make their own decisions about their bodies. We fastforwarded over all that. I think because I was a late bloomer. A lot of people who are transitioning are in their 20s. P: Do you have a transgender support network? S: Around 2006, I went to an FTM support group. Everybody was transitioning, and I didn’t want to do that at the time, so it made me feel worse. I stopped going. The people I enjoy hanging out with are from another support group. That’s the only community I feel I belong in. And school. They’ve been one of my biggest supports. I wouldn’t have wanted them to be overly supportive. They’re in the middle. It’s a non-issue. Period. P: You said your dad is your role model and that your mom has been slower to accept the transition. Why do you think that is? S: My ex has some of the same feelings as my mom. She once told me, “I know that to you, this Sue person never existed. But to your mom she was a real

person—her daughter. And she doesn’t want to lose that person in her life.” I’m not saying I didn’t exist. But it was like wearing a costume that I never took off. Everyone thinks you’re the costume. But you know you’re the person underneath. You knew me in my 20s. The most important thing to me was ﬁtting in, being liked, and having friends. I did what I thought I had to do to get that. But I was drunk and high every day. And nobody really knew me. P: Have you found peace? S: Not yet. I’m hoping that when my transition is over, that will be the answer. I didn’t want that to be the answer for a long time. I didn’t want to have to physically transform. I just wanted people to believe me. I wanted people to see me without having to do that. P: Are you lonely? S: Yeah. I never got to have male friends. I’ve always had girlfriends, but

I missed out on having buddies. It seems like such a big part of everyone else’s life. But my pals from my one support group are starting to treat me as one of the guys. And when I became Mr. Gormley, some of my colleagues invited me to Man Club. We go out to dinner or play golf. But everyone’s really busy. P: We’re past 40 now. Do you wish you’d transitioned in your 20s? S: I don’t know. The world was so different. When I thought about doing it, I thought I’d have to take two years off from my life, move, and start as a totally new person. It’d be like killing myself and faking my death. That was the only way I could imagine it—killing Sue and becoming someone new. I didn’t know I could keep my job, keep my friends, keep my city. I’m a pretty impulsive person. This is the one thing in life I didn’t rush. I gave myself a break. I did my best.

Sean at home in Chicago with his son’s dog, Munchkin.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

How a former Knox hardballer found his place in Major League Baseball BY PAM CHOZEN

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

his is how Max Utsler ’70 remembers his childhood in Knoxville, Illinois: “I wanted to be great at something, and I chose baseball.” He recalls batting practice against corncobs pitched by his six-year-old sister and honing his fastball by throwing at a target he painted on the side of the family barn. He read every baseball book he could get his hands on. “I studied the great ones, Willie Mays and Ted Williams, and some not-so great ones, such as Bobby Del Greco and Don Blasingame.” And, of course, he played. “Little League, Connie Mack League, American Legion, college, summer collegiate league,” he says. “I was never the best player on any team. But I don’t think I was ever the worst.” While it may have taken longer than he hoped, Utsler finally made it to the big leagues in 2013— as one of the official scorers for the 2015 World Series champion Kansas City Royals.

The role of an official scorer Umpires may make the calls on the field, but scorers determine the statistics—and, in baseball, statistics are one of the most important parts of the game. Fans turn to them to argue who the best players of all time were; teams increasingly rely on them to draft players, negotiate contracts, and even dictate game strategy. Until a few years ago, scorers were mostly recruited from the ranks of current and former sports reporters. “Then baseball decided it wanted to start getting away from newspaper writers,” Utsler says. Since he’d been keeping a detailed scorebook ever since his days under legendary Knox athletic director Harley Knosher, he asked the Royals to keep him in mind. After two years of waiting and an exam to confirm that he thoroughly understood the rules of the game, he was hired. He now works about a quarter of Kansas City’s home games each season, producing the official account of what happens on the field. When a hitter reaches base, for instance, it is Utsler’s responsibility to determine whether he got there because of a hit or a fielding

error. “The basic rule of an error is that it’s a play that could have been made with ‘ordinary effort.’ But there’s nothing ordinary about these guys at all—Lorenzo Cain in center field, Alcides Escobar at shortstop, they kind of defy explanation. They make it look so easy that when they do miss a ball, you wonder, ‘Can I really give that guy an error?’ If he can’t make that play, no one can.” It can be a high-pressure position. “Baseball is a big-money business, and a lot of player contracts have incentives that are built around numbers like batting average, earned run average (ERA), and runs batted in (RBIs). I’m very mindful that my decisions can have a significant impact on someone’s finances.” In the old days, players sometimes personally visited the press box to protest decisions. Now, their team has to request a review from the league, which determines whether it merits further investigation. While Major League Baseball— Utsler’s official employer, not the

Royals—hosts annual training, and scorers can communicate with each other in a private online forum, during the heat of competition, Utsler has only his own instincts. “There’s a DVR at my workstation where I can take another look at a play, see it in slowmotion. Early on, I was going to the DVR a lot, and it was slowing down my decisions. Mike Swanson [an old family friend from Galesburg and currently the vice president of communications and broadcasting for the Royals] told me, ‘Trust your eyes; trust your baseball judgment.’”

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

“I decided i’d be happier as a journalism professor From coach to professor

And there’s no doubt that Utsler has developed plenty of baseball judgment over the years. The sport has been a critically important part of his life, and a factor in many of his major life decisions, since he was a kid. At Knox, where he played on both the baseball and football teams all four years, it helped him pick a major. He chose American studies because the degree qualiﬁed him to teach either English or

social studies, and he thought that would make it easier to ﬁnd a coaching position. After he moved to Minneapolis and discovered that he needed certiﬁcation in physical education to coach at the junior high or high school level, he took a volunteer position with the University of Minnesota baseball team instead. For a time, it looked like coaching college baseball would be his career. Though he soon decided to pursue a

SUBMITTED

Utsler bats for the Kansas City Cubs at the Roy Hobbs World Series in Ft. Myers, Florida.

SUBMITTED

master’s degree in journalism at University of Missouri, it was mostly because he’d been told he needed a graduate degree to become a head coach. In fact, he says that one of the main beneﬁts of his graduate assistantship supervising a local morning news program was that it left him plenty of time to work with the baseball team in the afternoons. He only fell back into teaching by accident, after a faculty

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

member in his program quit midsemester and Utsler took over one of his classes. Missouri hired him to teach full-time after he graduated. Even then, he kept coaching for another two years, until he says, “I reached a crossroads in my career. I decided I’d be happier as a full-time journalism professor than as a full-time coach. I didn’t enjoy recruiting, as it turns out—too cutthroat. In journalism, so long as you keep your doors open, great students show up every year.” He completed a Ph.D. and was eventually appointed chair of the broadcast department. And then he quit. In search of fresh challenges, he moved to St. Louis to become assistant news director at the local NBC affiliate, which was in the midst of a major transition. The position offered everything that attracted Utsler to broadcast journalism in the first place. “When the clock strikes 10, the news is on, and you either have it done or there’s going to be a blank screen. It’s fast-paced; it’s competitive. You’re going head to head against other stations for ratings. It’s a lot like sports.” But, within a year, that excitement had already begun to ebb. “It started to feel like Groundhog Day. We finally got all the pieces in place, and then my job became steering the ship rather than getting out there and doing stuff.” When University of Kansas asked him to interview for an opening at its journalism school, he was intrigued. Like the news station he had joined, the school was in the process of remaking itself. “I thought, I’ll stay

than as a coach.” SCOREKEEPING 101

here ﬁve years, and then I’ll move on.” He has been there for 32 years now.

Scoring a baseball game by hand is something of a dying art, yet there’s no better way for casual fans to reﬁne their understanding of the game.

Winning the long game “The reason I didn’t stick with broadcast news was that I loved the peaks, when the story is changing minute by minute, but not the valleys. Most days, you start at nine in the morning and are scrambling to get something ready for the ﬁve o’clock news.” As a professor, he still gets to experience those peaks vicariously—in December, he watched as one of his former students, a news photographer in Los Angeles, posted live updates from the scene of the San Bernardino terrorist attack. He also has time to pursue his other interests. In addition to his work with the Royals, he occasionally serves as statistician for the Kansas City Chiefs and plays ice hockey with the Opossums. Baseball, obviously, also remains a priority. “I love it. I play two nights a week in the Kansas City Men’s Senior Baseball League; I also keep score for the Kansas City T-Bones [an independent league team] when I can. One of the perks of being a scorer is that I get the MLB.TV package, so the nights I’m not working, I watch every Cardinals game.” So while he may never have become truly great at baseball, it does seem as though baseball led him to greatness all the same: a long, rich, and varied career that keeps him engaged semester after semester, season after season. “A lot of my Knox classmates have retired, and people have started to wonder when I will. But, look—as a professor, I read, I write, and I talk. If I retired, I’d have more time to...read, write, and talk? So I guess I’ll just keep doing this for a while longer.”

The Scorecard Most teams include a blank scorecard in their game program, but you can also ﬁnd them at your local sporting goods store. The basic design includes a grid of 10 diamonds for each inning, in which each at-bat is recorded. Scorers track balls and strikes, where the ball was hit, and the result of the at-bat.

Scorekeeper Shorthand

positions The players on the ﬁeld are referred to by numbers that indicate their defensive position: 1 - Pitcher 3B 2 - Catcher 3 - First Base 4 - Second Base 5 - Third Base 6 - Shortstop 7 - Left Field 8 - Center Field G3 9 - Right Field 1 DH - Designated Hitter

At-Bats The results of the at-bat are noted: S (or -) - Single D (or =) - Double T (or ) - Triple H (or ) - Homerun SH or SAC - Sacrifice BB - Walk IBB - Intentional walk K - Strikeout Backwards K - Called out on strikes BK - Balk FC - Fielder’s choice WP - Wild pitch HP - Hit by pitch PB - Passed ball SB - Stolen base DP - Double play E - Error SF - Sacrifice fly F - Foul fly FO - Force out LD - Line drive B - Bunt U - Unassisted plays

3B Triple

G3 1

Ground out ﬁelded by the pitcher for F7 the ﬁrst out of the 3 inning

Fly out to left ﬁeld for the third out of the inning

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

The Age of Anxiety ADDRESSING AND ENHANCING THE WELLNESS NEEDS OF STUDENTS BY JANE CARLSON

Anxiety in recent years has surpassed mild to severe depression as the most prevalent presenting mental health concern on college campuses.

elsie Pos didn’t experience serious anxiety before she went to college. But when the sophomore biology major first arrived at Knox from Salt Lake City, symptoms almost immediately began to brew. Pos struggled with new standards of academic rigor and deciding on a major, being away from her family, and the pressure to take advantage of all Knox has to offer, academically and socially. “When you come here, you’re trying to blaze your own trail,” Pos said. “You know the importance of being in college and you want to make the most of it, but it is difficult.”

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Pos isn’t alone. Nationally and at Knox, anxiety in recent years has surpassed mild to severe depression as the most prevalent presenting mental health concern on college campuses. While all students experience some level of stress, Pos felt overwhelmed and was experiencing physical manifestations of her anxiety. So she sought help through the counseling center, and now serves on the Health and Counseling Center Advisory Board, one of several initiatives at Knox to address an uptick in anxiety and mental health concerns. “The resources are growing, and there’s so much more that people can get from the counseling center than people are aware of,” Pos said. “I think this is the ﬁrst year the counseling center is distinctive from the health center.”

Understanding a nationwide issue According to a 2014 study from the Center for Collegiate Mental Health, mental health and counseling centers have seen an 8 percent increase in use on U.S. campuses. At Knox, the percentage of students who seek mental health counseling had been hovering between 20 and 23 percent but reached 25 percent in the 2014-2015 academic year, according to Dan Larson, director of counseling services. Data from the 2014 National College Health Assessment II research survey from the American College Health Association reveals 19 percent of Knox students surveyed said they were treated or diagnosed for anxiety within the previous 12 months, including 10 percent of the men and 20 percent of the women surveyed. This is in line with 21 percent of students nationally

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

who were diagnosed or treated for anxiety within the time period, according to Charles Clark, chief institutional research officer. Where Knox more significantly surpasses the national figures is students experiencing feelings of helplessness and overwhelming anxiety but not necessarily seeking treatment or being diagnosed within the last 12 months. Nationally the total is 62 percent—including 66 percent of females and 49 percent of males surveyed. At Knox, 70 percent of the students surveyed reported experiencing those feelings, including 77 percent of females and 48 percent of males surveyed, according to Clark. That discrepancy isn’t necessarily reason for alarm at Knox in terms of anxiety levels. Larson said Knox is within the range for residential liberal arts colleges. Slightly higher numbers do not necessarily reflect a much greater need for services but, rather, that there may be less of a stigma at Knox for seeking treatment, he explained.

any stigma, and there is no extra cost.” Clark said Knox is reﬂecting national trends with its increase in anxiety cases over the past few years. “We are a little higher but I think the majority of institutions are grappling with this situation,” Clark said.

Expanding campus resources To meet the demand, Knox has added a second full-time counselor and sexual assault advocate. Two part-time counselors are also on hand, as the counseling center works to address concerns of long wait times to see a counselor during peak times of stress each term. The new Health and Counseling Center Advisory Board, comprised of staff and students, serves as the eyes and ears of what students are talking about on campus, works to reduce the stigma of seeking counseling, educates students about stress and anxiety, and focuses on sexual assault prevention. As part of those efforts, numerous group therapy opportunities are now available to students, on topics including stress, anxiety, and eating

“We have an obligation to help our students learn to negotiate the world.” What’s important, Larson stressed, is giving the students the tools and knowledge to identify problems and to continue reducing stigma in seeking treatment. “We want the students to make the call, and to put them in control,” Larson said. “Our role is to make sure they know what services we have, that it’s conﬁdential, that there shouldn’t be

disorders, and are offered at times that are easy to fit into students’ schedules. “Because of confidentiality issues, group sessions have been difficult in the past, but culturally, we are starting to be more open to them,” Larson said. Increasing awareness of the services available in the counseling center has been a charge of Janell McGruder, staff

counselor and sexual assault advocate at Knox since fall 2015. In addition to counseling students and serving as a confidential advocate for students dealing with sexual assault and the Title IX process, McGruder works to make available services known to students via online newsletters and campus programs such as Wellness Wednesdays and Mindful Mondays. In response to awareness of the negative impacts of stress and anxiety on students’ success, Knox is also offering research-based online training simulations that can help students, faculty, and staff better understand mental health concerns on campus and take the necessary steps for treatment. Larson and McGruder said the increased staffing and extensive student involvement has improved service and outcomes at the counseling center, although with more resources, outreach and prevention efforts could be even further enhanced, and students still do experience wait times for non-emergency counseling services. Likewise, a lack of psychiatric care available locally is a concern, Larson said. “Our role here is to make sure students know what counseling services we have, and there is no stigma and no extra cost,” Larson said. “There’s no problem too small or too large; we are a good first step in addressing a problem. If additional outside resources are needed, we can help in the referral process.”

Prioritizing what students need to thrive Better addressing and enhancing the wellness needs of students is one of the

main tenets of Knox’s Becoming One Community initiative, which seeks to eliminate barriers of equity and inclusion that prohibit students from full participation in every educational opportunity. It is an acknowledgment that students who have suffered assault or trauma or who have mental health conditions may need different kinds of support to succeed. Dean of Students Deb Southern said the College’s role in assessing and addressing mental health concerns is to help students take advantage of all educational opportunities available, and to give students the resources needed to deal with the issues that stand in the way of their success. “As a residential liberal arts college, we have an obligation to help our students learn to negotiate the world, and that includes how to access help and services in the community when they are needed,” Southern said. This also means the College needs tocontinually assess needs and carefully allocate resources, not simply identify a need and add services, Southern said. Using data, the College will target and prioritize mental health services to best serve students. “A student is a whole person, so you need to deal with the whole person— intellectual, physical, spiritual, and emotional,” Southern said. “Developmentally, you cannot just address the intellectual part of person. You have to do it holistically, and that’s what a residential liberal arts college does. We’re not protecting people from bad things. We’re helping them to negotiate those things in a supportive environment.”

Editor’s Note: After the magazine went into production, we learned that Dan Larson was stepping down as director of counseling services to pursue his private practice. Janell McGruder will serve as interim director until the position is ﬁlled permanently.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

UNPACKING AN H

During senior Brad Musselmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time at Knox, he has created numerous metallomesogens (metallic substances that possess both solid and liquid characteristics). This small set was created specifically for his Honors project.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

HONORS PROJECT

Photographer Evan Temchin ’10 takes an up-close look at a scientific breakthrough TEXT BY PAM CHOZEN PHOTOS BY EVAN TEMCHIN ’10

enior Brad Musselman usually carries his Honors project, the culmination of four years of chemistry courses and seven months of intensive experimentation, in a cardboard box. It holds an array of sample dishes, each with a thin crust of blue, blue-green, purple, gold, or amber on the bottom. Those brilliantly colored substances are liquid crystals, similar in some respects to the liquid crystals you’ll find inside smartphone touchscreens, LEDs, photovoltaic batteries, and ultra-thin high-definition televisions. The objective of Musselman’s research was to develop a method of synthesizing a novel form of copper-based liquid crystal with subtle structural and functional changes, such as a lower melting point, that could potentially have practical applications in the future. What his box holds, in fact, are chemical compounds that didn’t exist before Musselman created them in the lab. The official title of his project is “Axial Site Reactivity of Multinuclear Copper (II) Carboxylate Metallomesogens;” if all goes according to plan, you’ll find it listed among the other College Honors in this year’s Commencement program. Under the guidance of chemistry professor Tom Clayton, he’s been exploring the behavior of liquid crystals since arriving at Knox. The summer after Musselman’s first year, he volunteered to work in Clayton’s lab for free so he could continue to experiment. Fortunately, in subsequent years, Musselman was able to secure institutional support for his summer work. In addition to receiving the Glenn M. Nagel Undergraduate Research Fund Award in Chemistry, he obtained funding from Knox’s Vovis Center for Research and Advanced Study,

including a Paul K. Richter and Evalyn Elizabeth Cook Richter Memorial Fund Scholarship for summer research and was selected for the Artists, Scholars, Scientists, & Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow (ASSET) program for high-achieving students pursuing intensive individual projects. Others have been able to synthesize liquid crystals from copper since the 1960s. “But they were always kind of crummy,” says Musselman. “They decomposed quickly. I thought, wouldn’t it be great to make them better—decrease the melting point, improve the viscosity?” He went through months of trial and error, carefully weighing out different amounts of copper, caprolactam (a precursor of nylon), and solvent, mixing them together, heating them, and then carefully watching for the exact moment when the compound developed a crystalline structure—a transformation marked by a vivid shift in color. Once he hit upon the right formula, he then had to prove the substance he’d created was exactly what he claimed it was, replicating the experiment again and again, carefully monitoring temperatures and using X-ray diffraction and infrared (IR) spectroscopy to verify the molecular makeup of the new compound. Based on what he observed, he was able to draw conclusions about exactly what it was about the new substance’s structure (the “axial sites” referenced in the project title) that enabled it to transform from solid to liquid at a lower temperature. This is, of course, a wildly simpliﬁed explanation of what’s happening inside Musselman’s ﬂasks. In the following photos, we’ll walk you through his process step by step.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

As in most chemistry experiments, weighing is the key to success. Brad measures out precise amounts of copper chloride to begin the experiment.

Once combined with other compounds, the copper chloride mixture turns from blue to brown. Brad adds toluene to continue the reaction. He likens it to â&#x20AC;&#x153;trying to dissolve table salt in gasoline.â&#x20AC;?

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Brad â&#x20AC;&#x153;roto-vapsâ&#x20AC;? (a combination of simultaneously rotating and evaporating) the liquid solvents, leaving only the solid compound.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Adding caprolactam is one of the key steps in this process; the vivid color change from yellowish-brown to turquoise-blue begins the final stages of the experiment.

FINDING THE RIGHT CHEMISTRY Brad Musselman is only the latest of Tom Clayton’s students to investigate the behavior of copper dimers. The chemistry professor has been studying transition metals since he ﬁrst arrived at Knox in 1991, and Musselman’s project is just the latest addition to 25 years of research conducted by him and his students. As in the labs of many of Clayton’s Knox colleagues, Clayton’s

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students don’t merely assist him in his own experiments; under his supervision, they learn how to design and conduct their own research. This approach has both advantages— promising students get a head start on the sort of work they’ll perform as graduate students and professional research scientists—as well as some limitations. “Undergraduate research

moves at a slow pace,” observes Clayton, “but publishable results have emerged from the careful notebooks of several gifted students.” Nonetheless, his lab’s track record is impressive. Musselman’s is the 20th Honors project he has supervised. Thirteen of his students have gone on to earn doctorates in chemistry; three others have graduated from medical

No paper filters here. Vacuum filtration through a filter made from the shells of tiny sea animals helps ensure the metallomesogen is pure and free from solvents.

school. (These results are consistent with Knox’s entire chemistry department, which has ranked among the top 25 undergraduate U.S. chemistry programs in terms of Ph.D. production since the mid-1970s.) For his part, Musselman has already been accepted into doctoral programs at University of Chicago, University of Michigan, and University of

Pennsylvania. He thinks he may want to teach eventually. Clayton and future Knox chemistry students will continue to build upon Musselman’s research. Clayton thinks it could conceivably be possible for liquid crystals like these to be used in their ﬂuid phase as the reaction medium for some commercial processes, which could potentially reduce chemical waste

by eliminating the need for solvents. He also expects many more students to make the transition from his lab to Ph.D. programs around the country. “I’m not a stern authority,” he laughs. “Mostly I ask that they keep things operating safely. It makes for a productive student culture. And it prepares them for the independence of grad school.”

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

To get a better understanding of the structure of the metallomesogen, Brad places the sample on a copper microscope stage that will heat the sample to a precise temperature. He then heats the sample, lets the sample cool, and then heats it again, continually monitoring and photographing every stage and form the metallomesogen takes. (Samples of these photographs are below and throughout the story.)

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

The South Lawn SPARK Previews Academics & Campus Life

Left: SPARK students talk with Associate Professor Fernando Gomez in his office during a campus-wide “treasure hunt” that familiarized them with Knox people, places, offices and services.

College is a four-year-long marathon —whew! Each year also includes more than a dozen “sprints”—ﬁnals, papers, etc.—whew again! Does it help to show up two weeks early, spend several hours a day working on academics, especially writing and math? Does it help if you can also get to know the campus, the ofﬁces, the people? Yes, according to students who took part in Knox College’s new SPARK Program. After completing the program prior to the start of the regular academic term this past fall, participants say that SPARK does exactly what it says—Student Preparation and Readiness for Knox—and more. The students worked with faculty on academics, receiving a half-creditcourse on their transcripts. They took part in workshops with library staff on research skills. The students also crafted collages in the art department

and went on field trips to Knox’s urban farm and 700acre biological field station. For two afternoons, they fanned out across campus to meet Knox faculty and key personnel in campus offices. Giving students an in-depth preview of how a liberal arts college “works” is one of the goals of the faculty and staff who organized SPARK. Daily classes focused on academic challenges—math, writing, critical reading, analysis, and discussion. “For me, the challenging part was also the fun part,” says Aziza BentsiEnchill of Matthews, North Carolina. “There was a lot of work that had to be done at the same time, and you had to figure out how to get it all done on time. The sense of accomplishment that I feel is really great.” At the same time that students are running a four-year marathon, they’re

EVAN TEMCHIN ’10 (2)

Below: another team of treasure-hunting SPARK students walk between buildings.

also running a balancing act, according to SPARK faculty member, history professor Konrad Hamilton. “Knox students are famous for wanting to work in the community, and they also want to balance their activities— academic, extracurricular, and in the community,” Hamilton says. Several upperclass Knox students also served as peer mentors, working with the SPARK students in their academic and campus activities. “It gave me a head start on what college is about, especially here at Knox,” says Van Johnson III of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. “I knew Knox was a lot different from colleges across the country, and I thought, this might be the place for me, for the things I’m interested in. I’m deﬁnitely glad I did it.”

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Knox Welcomes New Vice President of Stud On March 1, 2016, Knox welcomed Dr. Anne Ehrlich to campus as the new vice president for student development. Before joining the Knox community, Dr. Ehrlich previously served as dean of students at Woodbury University, a small, private university just north of Los Angeles, California. She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from University of California, San Diego, a master’s degree in social work from the University of Michigan, and a doctorate in educational leadership from University of California, Los Angeles. Prior to her work at Woodbury University, Dr. Ehrlich held positions in residential life and student life at Whittier College and the University of Michigan. Knox Magazine had the opportunity to ask her a few questions before she ofﬁcially joined the Knox community in March. Here’s what she had to say:

What drew you to this position? The majority of my career has been spent at small, private institutions; I value the community feel and the deep relationships I have been able to develop with students, especially, and colleagues. Knox particularly stood out to me because of the diversity and energy of the student body, and the institution’s commitment to allowing each individual student to ﬁnd themselves—whether it be within the curriculum or in co-curricular activities.

Based upon your interactions to date, how would you describe the Knox community? Warm, welcoming, and passionate—a great blend of Midwestern hospitality balanced with high standards of academic rigor and a focus on strengthening individuals and society as a whole.

What do you think are Knox’s greatest strengths? Knox is an institution that transforms lives and is very clear about that mission. Everyone I’ve met so far has been uniﬁed in their assessment of Knox’s values—respect for others and for community, service, and a desire to help students ﬁnd their passion. Faculty and staff are invested in getting to know students on a one-on-one basis, challenging them, and supporting them in their quest for meaning and purpose. In other words, they really care, and they care on both the campus-wide and the individual student levels.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Anne Ehrlich in her office in Old Main.

What do you think are Knox’s greatest challenges? Like many small, private, tuition-dependent institutions, Knox is struggling with how to do more with less. This is not new to me. So we look for ways to save money and be responsible stewards of families’ tuition dollars while still providing the high level of programs and services our students deserve. It’s certainly challenging, but by no means impossible.

Describe the importance of residential life and student development at a liberal arts college like Knox? While academics are by far a student’s ﬁrst priority in college, students spend approximately 80 percent of their time outside of the classroom. At an institution like Knox, a lot of that time is spent in the residence halls. So it’s critical that students’ co-curricular experiences—from residential life to participating in a fraternity or sorority—are intentionally designed to help them become responsible, well-rounded, productive citizens. And have some fun, of course!

The South Lawn ent Development How has student development/residential life changed in the last decade or more?

PETER BAILLEY ’74

It’s changed, and it hasn’t. The demographic of the student body has certainly changed—we are providing access to an increasingly diverse pool of students, but signiﬁcant achievement gaps remain. Students from underrepresented populations are persisting and graduating at rates lower than their majority peers. On the academic side, support programs at Knox, such as TRIO and the McNair Program, have been successfully addressing this issue. Student development also has a particularly important role in helping our campus understand, respond to, and beneﬁt from the diversity of our student body. There is also an increased call for accountability—higher education is expensive, and we must be able to demonstrate that students are getting what their families are paying for. In other words, are students learning what we think they’re learning, and how do we know that? While this is not a new concept for the academic side of the house, it is a relatively new concept for student development. So we must make sure that our work is data driven. For example, while we want students to have fun as members of student organizations, we also want them to develop leadership skills, which means we need to measure the net change in their leadership abilities from pre-org involvement to post-org involvement. Finally, students are requiring that we keep up with technology. But at the end of the day, students are still students—they want to learn, they want to grow, they want to be respected for who they are, and they want us to care about them. That will never change.

What is one of the first things you are going to do when you get to campus? Listen. And go back to the Gizmo for more french fries— they were delicious!

Fired Up/ Burned Out Fired Up Knox has always been dedicated to access for students of all backgrounds, and folks outside of Knox are taking notice. For the last three years, Knox has been ranked by Washington Monthly as one of the top 15 schools in the nation for its contribution to the public good. This fall, the New York Times also gave a shout-out to Knox for its commitment to economic diversity. The Times named Knox, along with schools like Harvard, UCLA, and Vassar, as one of the top 15 U.S. colleges and universities doing the most for low-income students. These are terrific reminders that you don’t have to be the largest or even the richest school to make sure that students have access to a transformational education.

Smoldering After the retirement of dining services manager Helmut Mayer last spring, Knox opted to bring in an outside management firm to run dining services. After consultation and open forums with the campus community, Bon Appétit was chosen for the job. It’s been a bit of a shaky transition. Many folks are very happy with the quality of the food and the management; others not as much. As Keith Archer, vice president for finance and administrative services, stated in an e-mail to campus, “As in any transition, there have been many improvements and some missteps along the way . . . we are committed to providing the best possible dining experience for our students and community.”

As of press time, Knox—and all other colleges and universities in Illinois—are awaiting payment for MAP (Monetary Award Program) grants. These grants are promised to qualified Illinois students each year to help pay for college tuition, and they’ve essentially been held hostage in a budget showdown between Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner and the legislature. More than 300 Knox students and 130,000 total students in Illinois are caught in the middle. Hey, Illinois lawmakers and governor, #MapMatters for our students.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Three Faculty N

Peace Corps Prep Program Revamped, Relaunched For the third year in a row, Knox College has placed on the Peace Corps’ annual list of the top volunteer-producing colleges and universities across the country. With nine alumni currently serving overseas as Peace Corps volunteers, Knox ranks No. 14 among colleges and universities with fewer than 5,000 students. In order to continue being a top volunteer producing college, Knox has revamped and relaunched the Peace Corps Preparatory Program to address changes to the Peace Corps application process. New Peace Corps applicants now apply to work in a specific part of the world and in one of six sectors. Before, prospective volunteers would not know where they would be placed if their application was accepted. Knox’s program has been revamped in response to feedback from returning alumni and to offer coursework and hands-on experience fulfilling the requirements in all six sectors: education, health, environment, agriculture, youth in development, and community economic development. Training students in all six sectors is rare among institutions of Knox’s size. Additionally, in an effort to give students a full four years to prepare, first-year students can now join the preparatory program. “Students in the prep program make more competitive applicants because they take their selected coursework with future service in mind, so lessons learned can seem immediately applicable,” said Robin Ragan, director of the Peace Corps Preparatory Program. “Through the program, they also have access to more knowledge about the Peace Corps, the application process, and how to present their skillsets.” To date, more than 180 Knox College alumni have served in the Peace Corps including the nine alumni currently in the field.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Three Knox faculty members have been named to endowed chairs in psychology, history, and American history. Heather Hoffmann, professor of psychology, has been named to the Robert M. and Katherine A. Seeley Distinguished Professorship, succeeding Professor Emeritus George Steckley. The professorship was established in 1998 through a bequest from the son of the Seeleys, Robert A. Seeley ’51, who, along with his mother, was a direct descendant of Sylvanus Ferris, one of the founders and initial trustees of Knox College, and of Benjamin Franklin Arnold, a trustee of the College from 1899 until his death in 1920. Konrad Hamilton, associate professor and chair of history, has been named as the Burkhardt Distinguished Chair in History, succeeding Associate Professor Catherine Denial, who has been named to the inaugural Bright Professorship in American History. The Burkhardt Distinguished Chair in History was established in 2010 through the generosity of Dr. Richard W. Burkhardt ’39 and Dorothy Johnson Burkhardt ’39. Both Burkhardts had long and distinguished academic careers and Dorothy was a member of the Board of Trustees at Knox from 1976 to 1990, when she was elected a life trustee. The new Mary Elizabeth Hand Bright and Edwin Winslow Bright Professorship of American History is supported through a trust established by Edwin W. Bright and his wife, Mary Elizabeth Hand Bright ’44. They

The South Lawn amed to Endowed Chairs EVAN TEMCHIN ’10

Sparks “Probably the

GREATEST CATCH in Division III football history.” The Big Lead sports news site’s description of the catch, affectionately known as the tip, kick, then catch, made by Prairie Fire wide receiver Ilir Emini ’16 against Lake Forest on Saturday, September 26, 2015

“I’m a chemistry major who’s doing IT work. I didn’t take a computer science class, but that doesn’t mean that I couldn’t

DO THE JOB.”

JOHN WILLIAMS ’12

Geoff Ziegler ’03, from his Career Impact Summit keynote address, “Life is Liberal Arts: Using Your Knox Education in the Real World,” November 19, 2015

@THEVIRDAS, an alum of @KnoxCollege1837’s Sigma Nu. Now to get him to come to DC…” Dylan Gibson ’15, on Twitter, December 5, 2015, responding to the news that comedian Vir Das ’02 was performing in New York

“I envision a time when my blackness won’t matter and

RACE WON’T MATTER . . . but we can’t get there by pretending, as if color doesn’t exist.” SUBMITTED

intended their bequest to support the study of preCivil War American history at Knox. An endowed chair is the highest honor that Knox College can bestow upon a faculty member. It adds funds to the faculty salary pool annually, ensuring that Knox can recruit excellent faculty and continue to offer a broad and academically rigorous curriculum to future generations of students. Knox now has 22 endowed chairs. During Knox’s Above & Beyond

“Pretty cool to see the work of

Kwame Zulu Shabazz, visiting instructor in Africana studies, in his speech “The Colorblind Problem,” at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Convocation, January 18, 2016

initiative, the College’s goal is to endow 10 additional chairs in established disciplines and in new ﬁelds of study that will expand the Knox curriculum.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

I am Knox — Sarah Kobernat ’16 Vitals Hometown: Rockford, Illinois Majors: Biochemistry and French Campus Involvements: Chemistry Club, Pre-Health Club, Mortar Board Class Year: 2016

PETER BAILLEY ’74

Was study abroad always a part of your educational plans? I have always seen science as my career path and French as an added bonus. Coming into Knox, I was planning on majoring in biochemistry and taking some French classes, maybe doing a minor. But after planning out all four years at Knox, I realized I would have time to study abroad. How did you decide to study in Senegal? I thought the opportunity to study French in a francophone country other than France would be very interesting and offer more diverse cultural experiences.

Three Facts about Sarah What were some of the most surprising aspects of your time in Africa? She initially planned only to minor in French but decided to pursue a second major after she realized she could complete the necessary credit hours while studying abroad. She has studied French both in Europe, at Knox’s Besançon program, and in Africa, at Lawrence University’s Francophone seminar in Dakar, Senegal. She plans to earn a Ph.D. in the biomedical sciences after graduating from Knox. She has a special interest in autoimmune diseases.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Most people in Dakar speak French fluently, but the majority of people in Dakar actually speak Wolof most of the time. So it was really good to have Wolof classes and be learning a bit—it’s very interesting to see how much French gets mixed in. I really enjoyed the opportunity to learn a little bit of Wolof (and it reminded me how hard learning a language is in the beginning). I really missed science, though! I think this was the first time since before middle school that I haven't been taking at least one science class.

The South Lawn U.S. Senator Dick Durbin will be the speaker at the 2016 Commencement exercises. Senator Durbin, a Democrat from Springﬁeld, is the 47th U.S. Senator from the State of Illinois, the state’s senior senator, and the convener of Illinois’ bipartisan congressional delegation. He serves as the Assistant Democratic Leader, the second highest ranking position among the Senate Democrats. Senator Durbin has been elected to this leadership post, also known as the Minority Whip, by his Democratic colleagues every two years since 2005. “It is an honor to welcome Senator Durbin as this year’s Commencement speaker,” says President Teresa Amott. “His commitment to public service and issues like college access and human rights speaks to the College’s own long-standing commitments and

priorities. The senior class ofﬁcers are very excited that we were able to secure a Commencement speaker with a distinguished career in public service and dedication to many pivotal issues facing the nation today.” During his nearly 20 years in the U.S. Senate, Durbin has sponsored or co-sponsored legislation on many key state and national issues, including education, healthcare, immigration and the DREAM Act, veterans beneﬁts, consumer protection, and gun safety. Most recently, he urged Senate leadership to take up and pass legislation to reauthorize the Perkins Loan Program, a critical lifeline for many low-income students. Commencement will be held on Sunday, June 5, at 10:00 a.m. on the South Lawn of Old Main.

SUBMITTED

Senator Dick Durbin to Give Commencement Address

Knox Awarded $800,000 Grant to Enhance Underrepresented Students’ Academic Success Knox has been awarded a grant of $800,000 from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support initiatives that expand opportunities for underrepresented students. The grant, which covers a four-year period, will help the College implement a multifaceted program of academic support for students who represent the ﬁrst generation in their families to attend college, who come from low-income households, or who report having a disability. The program’s goal is to retain these deserving students at Knox so they may successfully complete their degrees by offering new opportunities at crucial points in their Knox educational experience. The program will be directed by Laura Behling, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College. The

Mellon Foundation funding “expands the College’s thinking about how best to educate our students,” Dean Behling said. The funding, she added, “aims to enhance the opportunities for our students’ success by focusing on speciﬁc programs at crucial points in their college career and to address our rapidly changing student demographics across all of our disciplinary offerings. It allows us to continue to be true to our mission of access and position Knox to embrace the 21stcentury higher education landscape as a place of opportunity and possibility.” Since 1970, Knox has been awarded 11 grants from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation totaling more than $2.6 million. The Mellon Foundation has a long history of supporting higher education and liberal arts colleges.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Prairie Fire Soccer History Made:

For the first time, both the men’s and women’s soccer teams made it to the conference tournament finals in November, capping off incredible seasons for both squads. The men came within two minutes of overtime in the Midwest Conference Tournament finals, losing a 2-1 heartbreaker to Lake Forest. This was the team’s third trip in a row to the tourna-

ment and second consecutive year in the finals. In conference play, the Prairie Fire placed second with a record of 12 wins, two losses, and three ties. Three men’s players were chosen for the All-Midwest Conference first team and one for the second team. This was also the second year that senior Charles Edemba was chosen the conference Defensive Player of the Year. “To lead the Midwest Conference with four players on the All-Conference teams speaks to the season we had,” said men’s head coach Tyler Sheikh. “It was a joy to coach the team and each of the players who earned these accolades.” The Prairie Fire women defied all expectations by making the school’s first appearance in the Midwest Conference championship game, where they lost in overtime to Carroll University. The women finished the season with 12 wins,

EVAN TEMCHIN ’10 (2)

Men’s, Women’s Teams Both Qualify for Midwest Conference Tournament Finals

four losses and two ties, setting a record for wins in a season. “I’m immensely proud of their achievements,” said women’s head coach Paul Lawrence, whose team included 29 ﬁrst-years, six sophomores, and two juniors. After the team’s win against Grinnell early in the season, he knew that—even with a young team—this didn’t need to be a rebuilding year. “We started to realize that we had a real chance this year and that has been our mentality from the ﬁrst game. Why do we wait two or three years for it to be our year—why can’t it be this year?” The Prairie Fire earned four spots on the women’s soccer All-Midwest Conference team.

Go Figure

26 Legacy students, or students who follow a relative to Knox, in the Class of 2019

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

13 Alumni who conducted mock interviews during the Alumni Networking Session, sponsored by the Alumni Council during Homecoming 2015

10 100% Prairie Fire Volleyball wins this season, the most since 1995

Peace Corps Preparatory Program participants who have been accepted into the Peace Corps

The South Lawn On the Road Again On March, 23 alumni and friends traveled to Cuba as part of Knox’s rejuvenated alumni travel series. The eight-day trip was led by alumnus Scott Schwar ’70, who has led 25 trips to Cuba, with educational programming provided by Philip Sydney Post Distinguished Professor of English Robin Metz.

A Cuban government store where staples like rice, eggs, and toothpaste, are available to those with ration books.

Above: The group frequently ate in Paladars, newly authorized private restaurants licensed by the Cuban government. This one was named Le Neueva Era (The New Era).

435 Flame foam hats distributed at the men’s and women’s home basketball game on February 6, 2016

RAY MILLER (3)

Right: Professor Robin Metz lectures on Ernest Hemingway's life at his home, Finca Vigia, in the village of San Francisco de Paula.

50+ Number of events (productions, museums, tours) that students who took the immersion course London Arts Alive experienced on their trip

4,037 Non-perishable food items collected by Blessings in a Backpack and the Student Athletic Advisory Committee to win the 2015 Midwest Conference Canned Food Challenge

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Three New Science Minors: Health Studies, allows them to consider social, political, and economic inﬂuences on health. Astronomy minors will spend time gazing through our telescope atop the Science-Mathematics Center, and maybe even travel with faculty to use more powerful telescopes. Statistics minors will work with real-world data.” Behling added that these minors “demonstrate the continual commitment our faculty have to educating our students in and for today’s world.”

Health Studies

The minor in health studies at Knox doesn’t approach human health solely from a scientific perspective. Rather, it analyzes the biological, psychological, cultural, economic, spiritual, and ethical factors that impact the health of individuals and society as a whole. “It’s unique in that it’s not a medical approach, which is the traditional approach to thinking about health,” said Andy Hertel, assistant professor of psychology. “It’s a liberal approach in that it approaches health from multiple perspectives.” Because the minor will examine health in a variety of ways, the content will appeal to students from a broad range of disciplines, HESE MINORS ENGAGE AND including the sciences, humanities, and social CHALLENGE NOX STUDENTS sciences. The minor will help prepare students for IN NEW INNOVATIVE FIELDS the growing fields of public health, community important hands-on learning,” said health, health advocacy, medicine, and Behling. “Students who minor in health related fields. The minor will also have studies, for example, will complete an broad appeal for students interested in internship in the community that politics, education, and business.

“T

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

.”

“Health is bigger than just medicine,” said Hertel. “This program helps facilitate effectiveness and team interaction in a new model of health.”

Statistics With the advent of widely available data, it’s increasingly invaluable to be able to turn that data into information, and that information into action. At Knox, the minor in statistics is a ﬁtting companion to a number of majors where statistical analysis plays an essential role, including political science, economics, psychology, educational studies, biology, and many other ﬁelds of inquiry. “If you want to really understand the world, you need to understand it quantitatively and sensibly,” said Kevin Hastings ’76, Rothwell Stephens Distinguished Chair in Mathematics. “A student in one of these areas who also has extra statistical expertise is, I think, a real powerhouse, with increased employment opportunities and the ability to analyze the world.”

Astronomy This is a golden age for astronomy. Advances in telescope design, burgeoning databases of astronomical data to be analyzed, and the recent discovery of problems of fundamental importance— like the nature of dark matter and the accelerating expansion of the universe—have contributed to making this ﬁeld one the the hottest in science. A minor in astronomy, together with a major in the physical sciences or mathematics, is a strong preparation for students interested in a career in

PETER BAILLEY ’74

Knox students will now be able to minor in three scientific fields that are in high demand in the marketplace and of high interest to students. Health studies, statistics, and astronomy join the 39 majors and 47 minors currently available at Knox. The minors were developed by Knox faculty to meet the increasing student interest in these fields of study, which also complement a number of current majors. Through research of peer institutions, faculty found that these minors aren’t widely offered, but are growing in demand. “All three new minors are terrific additions to our liberal arts education at Knox,” said Laura Behling, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College. “They're interdisciplinary, blend theory with practice, provide new ways of critically looking at the world around us, and engage and challenge Knox students in new, innovative fields.” The new majors were developed through the support of a $400,000 Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grant to explore new methods and technologies for classroom teaching. “All three majors will provide students with

The South Lawn Statistics, Astronomy Assistant Professor of Physics Nathalie Haurberg ’06 with the telescope in the new observation dome on top of the Umbeck Science-Mathematics Center.

Inspiring a New Generation of Star Gazers

astronomy or astrophysics, in pursuing graduate studies, or for students with an interest in secondary education in the sciences. “A physics major and astronomy minor at Knox would look very similar to an astronomy major at a larger school. The coursework would be nearly identical,” said Nathalie Haurberg ’06, assistant professor of physics. “You can become a good researcher at both. But at Knox, you’ll also learn to write well and think critically.”

As the moon landings inspired earlier generations, vastly improved images of planets and deep space objects are capturing the interests of today’s students, noted Nathalie Haurberg ’06, assistant professor of physics. “Knox will offer a new course in observational astronomy this spring,” Haurberg said, as she braved chilly weather to calibrate new equipment in a newly installed observation dome atop the Umbeck Science-Mathematics Center. “The students will do projects that involve imaging of objects with low surface brightness, galaxies that are hard to image well,” Haurberg said. “It takes ﬁnesse, thought, and skill with the equipment.” Knox’s instrumentation in astronomy includes a new spectrograph, used to analyze light from celestial objects. The spectrograph is funded by a grant from the Frederick E. and Ida H. Hummel Foundation of Chicago. Knox provided matching funds to purchase a new telescope mount and observation dome, which were installed in fall 2015. The new instrumentation, coordinated by Haurberg along with three colleagues in the newly renamed Department of Physics and Astronomy, will be used for classes and student research, as well as Haurberg’s own research program in spectrography and educational outreach events for the general public and other schools in the region.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Two Departments, Thr

The ’Burg

Knox welcomed three new faculty members to the Knox community this fall—two teaching in the education department, and one in environmental studies. Each brings to the College their own unique research interests, teaching styles, and backgrounds. Meet this year’s new faculty.

New Home for Jazz Night Knox College’s Cherry Street Jazz Combo is as close to a “house band” as you’ll find at Galesburg’s Fat Fish Pub. As of last August, Fat Fish became host of the 8:00-to-midnight, every-Thursday jazz show and jam

Benjamin Farrer

session featuring the student-led group. Located at

Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies

158 North Broad Street in a building that once housed

Benjamin received his bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Leeds in 2007, followed by a Ph.D. in political science from Binghamton University in 2014.

Midwest Photo, Fat Fish also has become the venue for the Thursday and Friday night shows in the annual Knox-Rootabaga Jazz Festival. In addition, the pub has

Why did you choose to teach at a liberal arts college?

welcomed a number of visiting jazz groups to its stage,

Knox is a great place for joining research and teaching together and really encourages self-expression and experiential learning, which are principles central to my own teaching philosophy.

along with a strong line-up of rock and blues acts.

PETER BAILLEY ’74

PETER BAILLEY ’74 (2)

Describe one of your favorite teaching moments? There have been many, but one moment that I think could only happen at Knox was when two students wrote Environmental Impact Statements for my class. They had decided to write theirs for hypothetical projects set in Tolkien’s ﬁctional Middle Earth. Not only was their work extremely imaginative, it was also of the highest quality—and I told them so in their written feedback, which I carefully translated into Elvish.

Tell us one unexpected thing about yourself. I now know a couple of words in Elvish.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

The South Lawn ee New Faculty Eric Dickens

Nate Williams

Assistant Professor of Educational Studies

Eric received his bachelor’s degree in English from Texas A&M University in 2001, followed by a master’s degree in telecommunications in 2007 and a Ph.D. in educational psychology and educational technology studies in 2015, both from Michigan State University.

Nate received his bachelor’s degree in education from Indiana University in 2009, followed by a master’s degree in educational psychology and Ph.D. in urban education studies in 2012 and 2015, respectively.

How did you first get interested in your academic field?

I attended two very large state schools for my own education, but, going back to my experiences as a public school teacher, I am very passionate about teaching, supporting students’ growth, and mentoring/advising young adults. In my experiences as a student and as a graduate teaching assistant, these passions are not priorities at larger state schools. So, though I didn’t have any previous personal experience with liberal arts colleges, I was very drawn to that image of student-centered professorship that a college like Knox supports as both a passion and a priority.

Tell us one unexpected thing about yourself. It is a little bit odd that, though I work in a teacher preparation program, I went through alternative certiﬁcation after graduation, so I actually never took the kinds of classes I now teach. That experience really motivates me to prepare our students well to be effective teachers. I often tell my students I want them to be better prepared than I ever was, and the memory of my ﬁrst year drives me to want to keep improving our program and our students’ preparation.

“I was very drawn to that image of student-centered professorship that a college like Knox supports as both a passion and a priority.” —Eric Dickens

PETER BAILLEY ’74

Why did you choose to teach at a liberal arts college?

During my senior year [in high school] I began working at a department store and was quickly promoted to women’s shoes. Some months prior to graduation, a customer began to ask me about my future plans as I was opening a box of shoes for her. Although this was not uncommon, I told her I planned on attending IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis), but I didn’t know how I was going to afford it. Not sure why I disclosed that much at that moment, but it was surely divinely orchestrated, because the woman smiled at me as she stood up and handed me a brochure. She informed me that she was the director of the Diversity Scholars Research Program at IUPUI and that she wanted me in her program. After brieﬂy looking at the brochure, I knew I did not qualify (minimum 3.0 GPA, SAT score of 1200 or better), but she said that it didn’t matter as long as you maintain a 3.0 in college, attend regular meetings with your faculty mentor, and work on research. She added that I had assisted her previously and that I was kind and respectful to her each time and that she saw something in me that I did not see in myself. Through her generosity, I was exposed to education research, the path to my Ph.D., and the principles of scholarly work.

Tell us one unexpected thing about yourself. I am a grafﬁti artist and have taught a grafﬁti course for three years.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

First Impressions “The dog is dead, and we are left to deal with the body.” The first line in the prologue of From the Mouths of Dogs: What Our Pets Teach us about Life, Death, and Being Human (University of Nebraska Press, 2015) by B. J. Hollars ’07 In his eighth book, Hollars recounts the arduous existence of a shelter officer, a woman’s relentless attempt to found a senior-dog adoption facility, a family’s struggle to create a one-of-akind orthotic for its bulldog, and the particular bond between a blind woman and her Seeing Eye dog. The book culminates with Hollars’ own cross-country journey to the country’s largest and oldest pet cemetery to lay his own childhood dog to rest, providing a reminder that the world would be a better place if we took a few cues from man’s best friends.

Creating Comics to Counter Pakistani alumnus Gauher Aftab ’05 has found a unique way to resist terrorism: through comic books. Together with his friends, he wrote an educational comic, Paasban: The Guardian, which is now available in the libraries of 400 public schools in Pakistan. Aftab’s work on the comic is inspired by his own encounter with terrorist rhetoric as a child. When he was young, he was searching for his identity as a Muslim and a Pakistani. He wanted to protect people, and that made him an easy target for radicalization. At the age of 12, Aftab was coerced by an extremist teacher and planned to leave home. “Children like me were told tales of conﬂicts where Muslims were the target of war crimes and ethnic cleansing. The world view being peddled to children, the majority poor and illiterate, was that it was either us or them, kill or be killed.” His family discovered his plan to leave home, and Aftab was put under lockdown for months. With time and study, he drifted away from his inclinations toward militancy. By the time he arrived at Knox College in 2002, he realized that the extremists had warped the concept of Jihad, taking a concept meant to be a code of life and turning it into a gloriﬁcation of death. When Aftab returned to Pakistan, it became clear to him that the problem of violent extremism would not be solved by bullets and bombs. He teamed up with a couple of friends to create Paasban: The Guardian, a point-by-point rebuttal to violent extremist rhetoric.

How did you distribute the comic? What has been the reaction? We started by handing out copies of the series to every student between the ages of 10 and 18 in 40 test schools. Now we’re putting copies of Paasban in the libraries of 400 public schools, and will measure the results over a sixmonth period. The children we speak to have been so socialized into ideas of hate and have trouble coming up with reasons to reject violence or extremism, even if they know it’s what makes terrorists stronger. However, once they read Paasban and discuss it amongst themselves, they gain an understanding of basic humanistic values, common to all religions, which create natural barriers

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

to hatred and the coercive use of religious concepts for such dark purposes. Our goal is to make them experience and understand how the radicalization trap works, make them familiar enough with the rhetoric to be able to recognize and reject it when they see it in its ubiquitous forms. Our greatest hope is to convert some students into those who can spread what they've learned to others, and protect those around them from falling prey to this evil. Those are the ones we like to call ‘Paasban,’ or true ‘Guardians’ of the world’s future.

How did the group behind Paasban form? My friends Mustafa Hasnain, creator of Paasban: the Guardian, and Yahya Ehsan, artist and creative director, were both

Knox Writes Terrorism running Creative Frontiers as a content development studio for animation, TV, illustration, and graphic design work. When we did the Paasban comic series, there was such a huge response that I decided to do this full time, and we made a new company called CFx Comics to promote our self-ﬁnanced initiatives. With our free CFx Comics app, we hope to sell commercial comics made by us and other content houses in Pakistan for the local audience, and use the proceeds to develop more issues of Paasban and keep it available for free in Pakistan. So it’s kind of a social entrepreneurship model; no one has ever tried to de-radicalize a population while getting them to pay for it.

Why did you choose the medium of a graphic novel, rather than a traditional novel or social media, to spread your message? We had been pitching the Paasban series as an animated TV show for a couple of years now, mainly to interna-

Books by Members of the Knox Community tional development agencies, but no one was willing to give their support. Eventually, we decided we only had money for a short comic book series and, at the most, a guided-view app that could host the comics. About three months into the process, we got a little funding to print and distribute 15,000 copies and conduct content testing. So things kind of fell into place, and here we are. Of course, now we’re building support amongst the Pakistani government, military and more international donors to really take this to the next level. That includes more free printed comics, but also the jump from here to animated or live-action TV shows, ﬁlms, and other mainstream media. We don’t think novels or non-visual mediums work very well, as literacy is very low, and those who can read have no real income to afford books. If we want to make the jump to the majority, it’ll take a lot more doing, but we’re up for the challenge.

The Violence Queen’s Ferry Press, 2015 rob McClure smith, John and Elaine Fellowes Distinguished Chair in English A little horror, a little humor, a little history. From the brutalities of the Falklands conﬂict and the sport of fox tossing to the indignities of rat extermination, from the musings of doomed Irish nationalists to dystopian Celtic futures and nightmare family vacations, the intensity of this debut collection is matched only by its humanity. With wit and levity, Smith leads the reader to an uncanny wisdom regarding the assaults that can be withstood and the dignity that endures.

Pedestrian Trafﬁc Finish Line Press, 2015 Carla Criscuolo ’03 The poems in Criscuolo’s debut chapbook explore the ways in which being raised in New York City colors one’s experience of the world. “The poems are big-hearted,” writes Betsy Sholl, author of Otherwise Unseeable, “embracing the city with all of its welter and noise, soot and steam. Carla Criscuolo is deliciously edgy and shrewd in her observation of power and class.”

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Knox Writes Master Lists for Writers: Thesauruses, Plots, Character Traits, Names, and More

The Persona of Ingmar Bergman: Conquering Demons through Film

Munds Park Publishing, 2015 bryn donovan ’90

Rowman & Littleﬁeld, 2015 barbara young ’42

This guide makes “show, don’t tell” much easier and helps you ﬁgure out your story more quickly. Included are lists of phrases for describing body language and physical appearance, master plot ideas, inspiration for character traits and quirks, and much much more! Master Lists for Writers is rich inspiration for novelists, screenwriters, or any other kind of storyteller.

Merging biography, cinema studies, and psychoanalysis, Young traces the life and career of storied Swedish director Ingmar Bergman and examines how his rocky personal life shaped his ﬁlms. A practicing psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, Young probes Bergman’s relationships with his parents, his wives, his children, and his colleagues to explore the meanings of his many ﬁlms.

The letters of Abraham Lincoln’s longtime law partner have become an indispensable resource for Lincoln biography. Unﬁltered and rendered in Herndon’s own distinctive voice, these letters constitute a matchless trove of primary source material that offer an illuminating look at Lincoln’s life, from his parents and pastimes to his parenting style and predictions.

Stealing Games: How John McGraw Transformed Baseball with the 1911 New York Giants

Cornell University Press, 2015 donald phillip Verene ’59

Peripheral Vision Meekling Press, 2015 Miranda steffens ’07 From the starting point of a dream, the narrator follows mental pathways that lead through memories of childhood, meditations on intimacy, mini ghost stories and to the very meaning of language and art. Reminiscent of “choose your own adventure” stories, the paths the reader can take through the hand-bound book are seemingly endless.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Bloomsbury Press, 2016 Maury Klein ’60 The 1911 New York Giants stole an astonishing 347 bases, a record that still stands more than a century later. That alone makes them special in baseball history, but as Klein relates in Stealing Games, they also embodied a rapidly changing America on the cusp of a faster, more frenetic pace of life dominated by machines, technology, and urban culture.

Herndon on Lincoln: Letters University of Illinois Press, 2016 Edited by doug Wilson and rod davis, co-directors of the Lincoln Studies Center at Knox College

Vico’s New Science: A Philosophical Commentary

Giambattista Vico (1668-1744) is best remembered for his major work, The New Science, where he sets forth the principles of humanity and gives an account of the stages common to the development of all societies in their historical life. Verene, a noted Vico scholar, offers a clear and direct discussion of the contents of each division of The New Science with close attention to the sources of Vico's thought in Greek philosophy and in Roman jurisprudence.

Class Knox

Flashback First Rep Term The first Repertory Theatre Term was in 1970. Do you recognize the students and which play this scene is from? Do you remember Knox College’s first Rep Term? Share the story behind the photo—e-mail knoxmag@knox.edu. To read responses to last issue’s Flashback photo, Sidewalk Calculations, visit knox.edu/knoxmag.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

We Are Knox Homecoming 2015

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

PHOTOS BY EVAN TEMCHIN ’10, JULIA VOLPE ’19, KENT KRIEGSHAUSER

www.knox.edu/homecoming

Come Home to Knox for Homecoming 2016! October 14â&#x20AC;&#x201C;16

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Alumni News Knox FYC Once Again Knox Recognizes Notable Alumni at Homecoming 2015 As part of Knox’s traditional Homecoming celebrations, the College recognized several individuals for their accomplishments, teamwork, and service.

2015 Knox service award Winners • Topper Steinman ’70 • Carol Daugherty Egan ’72 • Dudley McCarter ’72 • Eric Wilson ’84

2015 Knox-lombard athletic hall of Fame inductees • Al Partin • Chuck Porter ’52 • 1973 Men’s Soccer Team • Liz Grana ’06 • Jaran Rutledge ’08

2015 scroll of honor recipients • Elizabeth C. Brook ’41 • Barbara Lee Fay ’61 • Karen Dittmer Bowyer ’63 Knox thanks everyone who submitted nominations for these awards. Nominate a deserving friend or classmate for Knox’s 2016 alumni awards at www.knox.edu/nominate or contact Carol Brown ’99, director of alumni programs, at 888-KNOXCOL, extension 7980, or cbrown@knox.edu. 44

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

By Megan Clayton, Associate Director of Alumni & Constituent Programs During the annual Fifty Year Club (FYC) lunch at Homecoming 2015, usual Club business took place: minutes and reports were accepted, Scroll of Honor awards were presented, and an updated ravels FYC T ss the Country FYC Constitution was voted upon ro nts ac To Eve and approved. One of the suggested amendments was to return to the original name of the organization, following the passing of the last Lombard alumnus in 2014. After careful consideration by the current FYC officers and the committee responsible for the revisions, the organization decided to return to its original name: The Knox Fifty Year Club, or Knox FYC. At the time of its founding in 1943, the Club was known as the Knox Fifty Year Club. Sometime during the late 1960s, Club officers added the Lombard College name and logo to the Club’s name. (Lombard College was Galesburg’s other college. It closed in 1930 due to financial difficulties, and Knox adopted the records and provided a home for her alumni.) Homec Adding the name to the FYC helped oming 2 015 ensure Lombard alumni felt welcome. Even though the Knox FYC will no longer carry the Lombard College name or logo, Lombard will continue to be honored at Knox in a variety of ways. Its name is part of the Knox-Lombard Athletic Hall of Fame award, given each year at Homecoming, and there are artifacts scattered across campus that carry on the history of Lombard College. Knox FYC continues to engage alumni who share common memories of a certain period of Knox history with interesting lectures, tours, and events across the country. The Club also collects the life stories of its members for posterity, many published in the FYC Bulletin, while supporting the goals of Knox College. 5 ER 201 SUMM

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Class Knox Tom Howes ’43 says he is still alive and kicking, just not very high.

1939

We are Knox. You are, too. Whether you attended Knox for one year, two years, or graduated with honors, you are a Knox alumnus/a. You are the best reflection of Knox College and the education it provides. So, keep us informed. Tell us what you’ve been up to, if you’ve been promoted or honored, or simply say hello. Here’s how: • Contact your Class Correspondent; • If you don’t have a correspondent, e-mail, call, or “snail mail” us directly (see below); • Or have other media sources send us press releases, articles, and publicity. Please send information about births, marriages, and deaths directly to: Alumni Records Knox College, Box K-230 Galesburg, IL 61401-4999 E-mail: records@knox.edu Send all other updates, correspondence, or questions to: Pam Chozen Class Notes Editor, Knox Magazine Knox College, Box K-233 Galesburg, IL 61401-4999 E-mail: pachozen@knox.edu Please note that Class Notes may be edited for space.

I had the pleasure of a call from Maurice Stamps just after the New Year. He said that he had suffered a broken hip earlier in 2015, which necessitated surgery, followed by some rehab; however, he was able to return to his home in Seymour, Iowa, in July. Maurice celebrated his 100th birthday in October and received more than 200 birthday greetings! The celebration included interviews and visits from friends and family. Maurice continues to write and has just completed a story for his local newspaper. He also keeps in contact with Ed Jurkens ’40. Class Correspondent: Megan Clayton Knox College, Box K-210, 2 East South Street, Galesburg, IL 61401, 309-341-7476, pclayton@knox.edu

until I am 94; however, I will be 93 in February, and my eye doctor is not happy that the Department of Motor Vehicles gave me a license for two years. I plan to get a caregiver in 2016, as I need someone to help with driving and who can read small print for me. I have macular degeneration, and it is really bad in one eye. I can only read very large print and need a magnifying glass when I read. I want to wish everyone who is left in the Class of 1944 a very happy and healthy New Year!” Class Correspondent: Megan Clayton Knox College, Box K-210, 2 East South Street, Galesburg, IL 61401, 309-341-7476, pclayton@knox.edu

1945–1947

1940–1942

Class Correspondent: Megan Clayton Knox College, Box K-210, 2 East South Street, Galesburg, IL 61401, 309-341-7476, pclayton@knox.edu

1948

1943 Art Holst and wife Elizabeth celebrated Christmas in Ann Arbor with a houseful of children, grandchildren, and even four great-grandchildren. Art has also just published a book. He writes, “After repeated encouragement from family, friends, and speaker colleagues, I have put together a book of poetry that includes a group of poems I have written over the years, as well as some by other poets who have meant a lot to me in my personal life and my career as a speaker. It was published on November 30, 2015. The title is Life is Wonderful—It Could Be Verse! It was a lot of work but very enjoyable. We look forward to winter in Fort Myers, Florida, for four months away from the winter blasts of Michigan.” ❯ Art continues to hear from lifetime friends Burl George, Mort Monson, and Tom Howes, and sends other 1943 “survivors” his best wishes. ❯ Tom Howes left a message saying that he was still alive and kicking, just not very high. He enjoys life and looks forward to a reunion with his children in the spring. He sends best wishes to all his old classmates and friends. ❯ After reading the last Knox Magazine, Burl George sent a message remarking on Professor Michael Godsil ’76’s trip with students to Monument Valley. Burl and his wife took the same trip in the late 1980s and took very similar photos to those taken by Evan Temchin ’10. Class Correspondent: Megan Clayton Knox College, Box K-210, 2 East South Street, Galesburg, IL 61401, 309-341-7476, pclayton@knox.edu

1944 It’s always good to hear from Barbara Lemke. She writes, “All the changes to my house are done. I am glad, as it has been a two-year process. I passed my driving test this year and can drive

Jim Moser wrote: “Like you, I have tried to collect my thoughts, and not just of lost classmates. Recall is slower than it used to be. But when I see a friend has gone, the memories of that person and the times we had together help overcome the loss. I still live alone in my house by the woods, overlooking a creek which leads to Lake Ontario. Even with help, it takes longer to get things done. OSHER Lifelong Learning classes at the Rochester Institute of Technology are still a major activity. The subjects—current events, reviews of New Yorker articles, art history, study of past national and world events—are all fascinating, but the discussions about them with my wellinformed classmates is most stimulating. I also work with fellow Kodak retirees and the National Reconnaissance Ofﬁce (NRO) to document Kodak’s contribution to the classiﬁed photographic intelligence programs of the Cold War. It brings back many vivid memories, including the U-2 and satellites.” ❯ Harry Babbitt ’49 wrote: “I am still in Florida. My friend, Luis, from Buenos Aires, got a visa for the U.S. He came the last of July. I have an immigration lawyer working on getting him permanent residence. I need someone to look after me, and he has no one either. While his immigration status is up for change, he can’t leave the country. Thus, we’ll be here until we hear something. We hope that, maybe by February or March, we might be able to return to Medellín for a couple of months.” ❯ Mildred Weinberg Smith wrote: “I’m still around enjoying both Shepherdstown, West Virginia, and Fort Myers, Florida. I have slowed down some but still enjoy golf and buying and selling antiques with my 12-year partner, Dick. We see a lot of my family during the summer in D.C. Connected again with cousin Bob Pennington ’49 recently, which was fun both as family and Knox. His parents were very important to me in my Knox days. I would like to see Knox and Galesburg again.” ❯ Elizabeth Harler Van Steenwyk sent an update. “Say this: Despite

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

“He’s got one, Bobby!” —John Wirt ’85 alerting his son as Jim Wirt ’54 the drought in California, both of our harvests gave us terrific fruit, just less than we otherwise get. The grapes we picked were juicy and colorful, the walnuts were large and crisp. And, despite the work involved in bringing them in, the crews manage to have a great time. We have begun to get rain now, not too much, but it’s a start, and Liam (our llama), the two alpacas, and the sheep and their babies enjoy it as much as we do. Sunsets aren’t bad either. Take joy.” ❯ Betty Alice Moon Sharp wrote: “Illinois had some strange weather this year. It was way too wet in June for the corn. And it was too dry this fall. I tried to have the pasture torn up and made into tillable ground last year (2014). It was bitter cold, and the ground froze early, but this year we have had no real freezing temperatures and many lovely days. The weather experts have promised several more. And frost was late this year. We here in the Midwest are used to changeable weather and plenty of wind. When the wind speed gets to 25 to 40 miles per hour, with gusts higher, I stay in the house and say ‘ENOUGH.’ Mr. Scharfenberg was worried about the crops. I checked in with one of the big farmers in this area, and he said the yields were spotty, and the better land was hurt more. I think the better ground is more level and doesn’t get tiled, so the water sets there and has to soak in, while the poorer ground is more likely to be tiled, hillier, and will drain better on years like this one. I heard two men talking about how dry it was when I was in the post office, and I had to put window covers on the basement windows and found out they were right. Fires did start in some of the fields, and the fire trucks had to be called. We did have one snow of three inches or so, but it soon melted. Of course, I’m in Northern Illinois, so we see snow sooner and keep it longer usually, but it was too warm for this one to stick. I have been back here for 20 years now. I had to get everything new when I came back, and now I’ve replaced about all the machines one has for the house. This year, I was able to get someone to promise to do my driveway. I count the years and think it is time for someone else. This lot is almost an acre, and this young man does the mowing, so I plan on having more time to watch the birds.” ❯ Arlyth Rogers Atkinson wrote: “Since I donated my car to Goodwill a year ago, I am indeed in Riverside for good, as long as that may be at 89. I thank God for every day and enjoy this amazing miracle that life is. My health is still good; I still crochet every day with no aches or pains.” ❯ Sid Norris added: “Winter has arrived in Oregon, with a constant stream of wet rain...even a lot of snow in the mountain areas, which makes our skiers happy. My wife and I attended the Shakespeare Festival in Ashland for a final time. It is worth seeing. Too many of my classmates have passed on… inevitable, I guess.” Class Correspondent: Sidney E. Norris 3135 Agate Street, Eugene, OR 97405, 541-683-6160, senorris@comcast.net

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

1949

1953

Class Correspondent: Megan Clayton Knox College, Box K-210, 2 East South Street, Galesburg, IL 61401, 309-341-7476, pclayton@knox.edu

Class Correspondent: Nevin C. Lescher 295 Reed Avenue, Windsor Locks, CT 06096, 860-623-0550, nesu@cox.net

1950

1954

Bob Willett writes, “Since son Tom and I came home in September from our trip to China, we have tried to decide whether we should continue to push our government to bring home my cousin, Jimmie Browne, who was killed in China November 17, 1942, ﬂying ‘the Hump’ during WWII, or let him rest in peace where he crashed. After visiting the mountain where he crashed and seeing the beauty of Cangshan Mountain looking over the sparkling Eiha Lake and the shoreline city of Dali, China, it is hard to think of the effects of an excavation on that beautiful scene. Add to that unpleasant thought the emotional memory of the brief service we held for the three-man crew of Jim’s C-47 on the slope of that same Cangshan Mountain in September. That memory gave a sense of completion that we had lacked. If we consider the fact that China and the U.S. do not like each other, that the U.S. mission to investigate the crash scene was scrubbed just days before the team was to leave, and that local ofﬁcials seem to be reluctant to have such an excavation take place in the beautiful and peaceful setting, it is hard to put faith in an eventual successful excavation. So we feel there is the option to leave the crew where they are. But I still have a nagging feeling of leaving before the job is really done, and that’s a feeling that’s hard to evaluate. And they said retirement was peaceful and serene!” ❯ Ken Radnitzer and wife Ruth celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in September 2015. Congratulations! Class Correspondent: Megan Clayton Knox College, Box K-210, 2 East South Street, Galesburg, IL 61401, 309-341-7476, pclayton@knox.edu

1951 Jay Burgess writes that he and wife Shay went to Orlando, Florida, for Thanksgiving and saw the Milwaukee Bucks. “Our son is general manager of the team. Earlier this year, I went on the Honor Flight and saw all the memorials with an airplane full of mostly Korean veterans. It was exciting, but it was a long day.” ❯ Dick Fleming was honored for 60 years of membership at the annual luncheon of the Delaware Section of the American Chemical Society. Class Correspondent: Megan Clayton Knox College, Box K-210, 2 East South Street, Galesburg, IL 61401, 309-341-7476, pclayton@knox.edu

1952 Class Correspondent: Anne Reutlinger Porter 407 Russell Avenue, Apartment 316, Gaithersburg, MD 20877-2853, 301-987-6894, justjim22@gmail.com

I asked for current news or old memories at Old Siwash. ❯ John Wirt ’85 provides news of his father, Jim Wirt, whose triple bypass surgery caused him to miss our 60th Reunion. To celebrate Jim’s full recovery, John invited him to his cabin in northern Wisconsin to fish for that elusive fish of 10,000 casts, the muskie. “To increase the odds of my dad actually catching one,” John writes, “I planned our outing for the second full moon in July (a blue moon on July 31) and reviewed the records from the prior year’s World Championship Muskie Tournament to see which local lake had produced the most fish. That was South Turtle Lake, which included the first place muskie, with a length of 45 inches. So, we headed there. After working a long weed line without luck for a couple of hours, we maneuvered the boat off a needle peninsula where a guidebook said there is an occasional stray summer muskie. After a few casts, I heard my father exclaim rather calmly, ‘I think I’ve got one.’ Grandson Bobby and I turned to look, not really thinking he had a fish due to his tone of voice. But, we saw thrashing about a huge greenish brown monster that was about a third the length of my boat. ‘He’s got one, Bobby,’ I yelled, and Bobby jumped into action. He grabbed the retractable net and started to deploy it, but the net became stuck. ‘We’re not gonna lose this one,’ Bobby said, throwing down the net and grabbing the pole from the hands of my dad, who was struggling with the leviathan. In doing so, Bobby inadvertently knocked off my father’s prized Siwash hat. Bobby manhandled the muskie aboard to land it, and we then were able to trawl over and retrieve the hat before it sank. ‘Blue Moon Lucky’ turned out to be the catch of a lifetime, measuring out to a full four feet.” ❯ From fish news, we turn to Bob Windish’s memories. “The first that comes to mind,” he writes, “are the rush activities when we were freshmen 65 years ago. Many of us had picked the fraternity or sorority that we wanted to be a part of. Those of us who were totally average wondered how we would compete with all the others who looked so good. We hoped we would be asked to join the group of our choosing. What a thrill when our favorite offered their invitation. It was not until a year later that we learned the actives were just as worried about our acceptance as we were about their offer. Those worries, happily ended, were what made the whole thing work. For many of us, it was the happiest four years of our lives. I know I had a happier time than I deserved, but I wouldn’t give up my four years at Knox.” ❯ A wonderful endorsement, Bob. As a Galesburg boy with not much money and always at least one part-time job, my fraternity was an

Class Knox landed a four-foot muskie. important campus base for me. But there have been many changes in the Greek system in 65 years, beginning with the class that followed ours, when a fine young man named Bill Hall ’55 became the first African American, on what was then a very white campus, to sign up for rush week. Four of the six fraternities had “whites only” provisions in their national constitutions. The two that did not, Phi Sigma Kappa and my Tau Kappa Epsilon, proceeded to rush Hall, without consulting alumni or national officers. By unusual coincidence, Teke officials became aware of the situation and applied considerable negative pressure leading up to bid day. As a result, Hall pledged Phi Sig, and then, even greater pressure was applied. The end result was the Phi Sig national refusing to allow Hall’s initiation as an active member and the college ending the Phi Sig chapter on campus. Some Phi Sigs and Hall then formed a local, Alpha Delta Epsilon. Many more changes were to come over the years. As college enrollment almost doubled, the six fraternities and five sororities of our time declined for various reasons, though the early years of this century have brought establishment of two new sororities and two fraternities. ❯ The Alumni Office received a nice note from Cheryl Almgren ’78 remembering her mother, Carol Le Cuyer Almgren, who passed away in January. Cheryl writes that her mother provided her her intense and ongoing lifelong care for more than 30 years and that she was a one-of-a-kind mother and parent. ❯ For those such as me who have not visited the campus for 10 or more years, some time spent on the campus website can be very interesting. Try knox.edu/campus-life and click around. And remember how astute were our professors, such as Charley Lerche when he said, “There never will be peace in the Middle East.” Class Correspondent: Jim Dunlevey 27419 Embassy Street, Menifee, CA 92586-2005, dunlevey@aol.com

and said, “I feel like a man who has fallen off a 30-story building, and halfway down, I’m thinking, well, everything is okay so far.” ❯ Along with us, Don ’53 and Gail Holmes Curtis plan to live past 99 so they can shoot their age on the golf course. They still take their boat on an annual spring cruise to the Bahamas, and, at Christmas, hosted the entire family of 20 for the holiday. They also send words of wisdom: “Do not regret getting old. It is a privilege denied to many.” Sad, but true. ❯ Mitzi Haynes Eisenscher has relocated from Sandy, Utah, to Santa Monica, California, and reports loving living on the ocean. She is one of several in our class who is an inveterate traveler. ❯ Walter Larkin and Dr. Sue live in Chicago but visited Romagny-sous-Rougemont in northeastern France last summer, where Susan’s ancestors lived before they came to Western New York in 1831. The Larkins also visited Pienza and Montepulciano, Italy, and had another trip to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. ❯ John Clark’s widow, Jean Martin Clark ’57, enclosed a photo of her 80th birthday party in her Christmas card. She looks great, and I imagine she will be viewing the 2034 Christmas full moon, too. ❯ Russ Fuiks and Jan were in San Antonio in November, where Russ had a terrible fall, requiring many stitches and a stay in the hospital. They hoped he would be recovered enough to take the trip to Hawaii they had planned for January; I hope that happened. ❯ I think Russ’s accident was a lot worse than mine in October, when I broke my hip. I no longer have to use a walker, but have a long way to go adjusting to having one leg shorter than the other. A lift in my left shoe helps. ❯ Mary Ann Ruzecki and I had a long and heartwarming phone conversation to start the new year. She sends warm wishes for

a healthy 2016 to us all. She still guides Flagler Beach through some challenging times in spite of her own challenging health problems. We remember our years as waitresses at Whiting Hall with great fondness. ❯ Jim Lockett has completed a long-term project that took most of last year to complete. He sent his book on recreational mechanics to his older son, who works at ESPN, to circulate among his co-workers for review. Since it is a nonﬁction work, it required a table of contents and other painstaking jobs. Jim’s next project is to complete the Lockett genealogy that he started years ago. ❯ I have researched our families on ancestry.com from time to time and have traced one line back to 1300. I question the accuracy of my research, so believe it if you will. ❯ George Elliott and Margie have faced some health issues, but George’s business continues to thrive in spite of competition from Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Menard’s. You can see it on the web at www.woodmartbuildingcenter.com. This is George’s second career; he was in the Army for 22 years, including a tour in Germany guarding the border during the Cold War. They enjoy their grandchildren, who keep them on their toes. ❯ Bud and I weren’t at Homecoming (we’ll aim for our 65th), but, thank goodness, some of us were. Carolyn Swartz Park, Roland Peaslee, and Nubs and Letitia Luther Schactner ’58 were kind enough to send me reports. The weather was perfect. There was a reception at the T. Fleming Fieldhouse Friday night and a convocation on Saturday morning, followed by the Fifty Year Club luncheon. I’ve heard the Class of 1965, new inductees, were a rowdy bunch. They’ll mellow out in 10 years! The dinner that night was at Soangetaha. President Teresa Amott stopped for a visit, and many memories were

I write this at the beginning of the new year. By the time you read it, we will be well into 2016; I hope it is going well for you. ❯ I know you will be as sorry as I am to learn that JoAnn Nystrom Reiners’ music involvement is now limited to listening enjoyment; she was an accomplished pianist and teacher. She and Jack Reiners ’56 live at Prairie Point in Madison, Wisconsin, remain very active in community activities, and walk every morning. Jack reports he reads the ’55 Class Notes to her, and she enjoys hearing about her classmates. ❯ Paul Johnson had been looking to the future when I heard from him—since a full moon on Christmas won’t be back until 2034, he stayed up to see it, and hoped to see Santa, too. Then he remembered Santa is him. Bud and I missed the full moon, and since we’ll only be 101 by the next spectacle, there may be hope. Paul still sells real estate; he and Pat are well, and he feels as his father did when he was in his 90s

SUBMITTED

1955

Jim Wirt ’54 (center), ﬂanked by son John Wirt ’85 (right) and grandson Bobby, show off “Blue Moon Lucky,” a muskie that Jim landed in Northern Wisconsin last summer.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

“As Jim MacDonald ’59 told a friend, we are upright and taking shared. Roland read his poem “The Loom of Life,” and said some nice things about my efforts to keep you up to date on our class—I heard he also suggested a pay raise for me. Bless you, Roland! So sorry we weren’t there to join in the fun. Nubs and Wally Larkin did a great job as chairmen, even though Mr. Larkin is very shy about answering his e-mails. ❯ Tony Liberta and Sue sat at a table at the FYC luncheon with the Larkins; Beverly Holmes, vice president for advancement; and Megan Clayton, associate director for alumni affairs. The next event on Tony’s schedule that day was a video interview recording his impressions of Knox and the important campus issues while we were on campus. The interview was conducted by a student as part of a history project, helping develop skills in conducting an oral interview. The interviews should be ready for viewing sometime in the spring. ❯ I hesitate listing the attendees for fear I will omit someone, but here’s the best I can do: Wally Larkin and Susan Clare; Carolyn Swartz Park; Nubs and Letitia Luther Schactner ’58; Ed ’56 and Marianne Adler Beck; Bonnie and Roland Peaslee; Russ Fuiks; Bill Ives; Cecelia and Mort Weir; Don Weston; Jack and Marilyn Foster Weidman ’56; and Tony Liberta. ❯ I know some of you aren’t computer users. I wish you were, because the e-mails from Knox and their Facebook page are so enjoyable, and you could keep up with so many of us. Marianne Adler Beck, Sara Dolder Stewart, Gail Holmes Curtis, Frank Scherer, Mary Ann Ruzecki, Al Paulus, Bill Ives, and Paul Johnson are some that I enjoy hearing from and seeing online… especially the photos on Facebook. ❯ That’s all the news that’s ﬁt to print for now. My thanks to all of you who provided input for this column! Stay well, and seize the day. Class Correspondent: Dorothy Thomas Wharton 3511 S.E. Fairway West, Stuart, FL 34997-6033, 772220-9433, dtwharton33@gmail.com

1956 From James M. “Mack” Trapp: “Because of my years as a Phi Delt at Knox, I have been giving time and effort to the Phi Delta Theta Foundation, an international organization dedicated to developing leadership in young men in colleges and universities. My fun project for 2015 is a family trip (all 25 of us or so) to Costa Rica to see the great array of birds and animals. Carol and I are still vertical and live on the 11th ﬂoor at 1500 North Lake Shore Drive when not on the ski slopes of Colorado.” ❯ Dan Kimble continues to paint, and his watercolor paintings are displayed at venues in and around the Eugene, Oregon, area where he lives. ❯ Bob Rothe shared a great story from his days at Knox. “In May 1955, my girlfriend, Judy Bowers Rothe ’58 (now my wife of almost six decades), and I had had a huge spat and broke up for the summer. That fall, I was a senior while Judy was a sophomore. I had been

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

taking an entry-level class in music theory and asked a freshman girl from that class out on a date. I did not realize at the time that a subliminal motive in this might have been to induce jealousy in Judy. The freshman was awed by being asked out by a senior and accepted immediately. When she asked where we might go, with no thoughts as to its impression, I explained to her that I was a model railroader and would like to take her to the Galesburg freight yards for some experimental, long-exposure-by-existinglight, nighttime photography. Taken aback by such an unusual suggestion, she asked if she could give a definite response the next day. Having no nefarious motives whatsoever, I readily agreed. The next day, my date confirmed the plan subject to the proviso that her roommate and her date could come along on a double date. We four had a wonderful time photographing this refrigerator car icing platform and went out for coffee at the conclusion of a unique evening. An interesting tag to the story that was not revealed to me until years later was that my college roommate, Ed Beck, had called Judy beforehand to inform her of my plans for the evening. Judy and Ed surreptitiously followed us to the rail yards that night, spying on us the whole time! I had dated Ed’s wife, Marianne Adler Beck ’55, a number of times before this incident. We are still good friends.” ❯ Bob writes further that after a near fatal stroke and heart attack in summer 2014, he is almost 100 percent recovered. He and Judy continue to host young adults from the Up with People organization and toured Brazil last summer. There, they met up with three former students who had lived with them in past years. The couple plans to move to a retirement home in Boulder, Colorado. ❯ Bob Sparks says that he and Kathy have decided to return to Galesburg to be closer to their family, mainly their son and grandchildren. They plan to put their home in El Paso, Texas, up for sale after the holiday season. ❯ Jack Reiners shared that the Class of 1956 Scholarship has been awarded to first-year student Yvette Rodriguez from Ontario, California. Thanks to all who contributed for your generosity. ❯ I am still looking for a member of the Class of 1956 to replace me as Class Correspondent. Please contact me! Class Correspondent: Megan Clayton Knox College, Box K-210, 2 East South Street, Galesburg, IL 61401, 309-341-7476, pclayton@knox.edu

1957 Happiness is recalling the college years of our life. That seems to be the general comments that were made to your correspondent. ❯ Homer Johnson reafﬁrmed this comment about our four years at Knox. Homer and Nick Panos, along with other Knox alumni, have their weekly luncheon at Chicago’s Greek Island Restaurant. Other off-and-on attendees include Art Carlson and Frank Stanicek. Stories are often repeated but never fail to bring about laughs and smiles of

our college life. ❯ Heard from Jamie Bjorkman. He has had a challenging 2015. One enjoyable event was his attendance at the Phi Delts’ Homecoming gathering this past October. He told me that it was a bunch of fun and enjoyed being with his “brothers” for the second straight year. ❯ Donna Sandquist Hull, a Californian Knoxite, enjoys being close to her children and grandchildren. El Niño weather really was a challenge for her and family earlier this year. ❯ Marv Hughes still has an active work life, going to the ofﬁce daily. Yes, he still ice skates. Wife Kathy is a member of the NLOCL Library Board. Never a dull moment due to activities with the community and church. ❯ My Bill Shaffer moment: After Knox, Bill went to the University of Illinois to continue his education and to work. While driving his car around the campus, he was frustrated by how hard it was to ﬁnd a parking space. Because he was a university employee, Bill made a written request for some help, saying, “When you hired me, you hired my car.” Just think if Bill carried out this thought; he would have been the person who founded Uber. Class Correspondent: Jack O’Dowd 4837 88th Street E., Bradenton, FL 34211-3606, 941-753-1483, jodowd310@msn.com

1958 The NYC Knox group met on December 12 at the members’ room at the Metropolitan Museum for dinner, followed by dessert at Mary Mullins Hinz’s New York apartment. This tradition, started many years ago, was enjoyed by Anita Tosetti Johnson, Fred Kauffman, Sally Arteseros, and Jane Ehrenberg Rosen ’61 and husband Sholom. ❯ Jim Spence and Anita Tosetti Johnson traveled to San Luis Obispo, California, last fall to visit Jim’s children and grandchildren. They enjoyed visiting, hiking, and enjoying the scenery. ❯ Larry Wilcoxen suffered a stroke last July and is a patient at a Walnut, Illinois, nursing facility. Wife Judy said there is a Knox decal on his bulletin board, as his roommate is Gene Johnson ’50. You can drop Larry a note at Heritage Health, 308 S. Second, Walnut, IL 61376. ❯ George and Lynn Richardson Matthes ’59 moved into their third and “final” home recently. Downsizing wasn’t easy after 30 years in sunny North Carolina, but the lure of family enticed them back to snowy winters in Lakewood, Colorado. They celebrated their 58th anniversary in September and have been retired for 20 years. Summers will still find them at their lake cottage in Hazelhurst, Wisconsin. They still keep in touch with Walt ’60 and Rennie Greenhalgh Smith, Dick ’56 and Neetsie Kester Gappen ’59, and Glenda Taylor Lipsey ’59, getting together in Florida and Wisconsin over the past few years. ❯ Caroline Andrews Porter Evans writes: “Having been widowed two years ago for the second time in 5 1/2 years, I moved to Springfield, Illinois, in September, where I share a home with one of my daughters.

Class Knox nourishment.” —Janet Eiszner MacDonald ’59

I have a number of Christmas messages, and, thanks to a few of you who replied to e-mail plea for news, we will have a column. For those who did not get an e-mail from me, Jenice Jaekel Tremelling’s Christmas card contained the message that her lifelong friend, Dottie Schulein Borchardt, passed away on Thanksgiving morning after being in poor health for some time. She and Jenice, roommates at Knox and travel buddies, attended our 50th Reunion. ❯ Dave Ehlert wrote, “My wife, Susan Jo, died in November 2014. We had been married just over 50 years, with three children, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. She was not associated with Knox, but we went there often when I taught at Monmouth from 1967-74. She attended Earlham College in Indiana, where we met in 1963. I still teach part-time in the math department of Indiana University at South Bend. I live north and west of Buchanan, Michigan, in the country. Still have two llamas to keep me company. My daughter and two grandchildren live nearby.” ❯ Janet Eiszner MacDonald wrote, “There is nothing in our past year that is newsworthy! As Jim wrote to a 50-year-old German friend who thinks we are too old to drive to Arizona, ‘We are upright and taking nourishment.’ I was sorry to hear about Dottie. She was a special person.” ❯ Georgia Raft Souris wrote, “I managed to fracture my wrist the day after Thanksgiving, but, otherwise, we have remained well. Youngest son Steven has taken a new position in Little Rock and will leave the Chicago area. Our oldest is still happy in Connecticut after two years, despite the snow. We are still fairly active in our fraternal organizations, AHEPA and Daughters of Penelope, as well as in the church. We decided to blow our wad and celebrate our 50th with a trip to Prague, Vienna, and Budapest in June—God willing, and we are still breathing.” ❯ Barbara Fowler Nagel reports, “Good old Knox is where we met each other and made forever friends. Gordon ’60 and Anne Wetzel Faubel ’60 spent a wonderful afternoon with us. Also enjoyed a visit from Denny Geraghty and Jeanne and a dinner with Bob

2016 Alumni Achievement Award Thomas Brown, Ph.D. ’64 After earning his undergraduate degree at Knox, Thomas Brown earned a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Yale, then went on to join the psychiatry faculty at the Yale University School of Medicine, where he is an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry and associate director of the Yale Clinic for Attention and Related Disorders. A teacher, researcher, and writer with a special interest in attention deﬁcit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), his most recent book is Smart but Stuck: Emotions in Teens and Adults with ADHD. He also sees patients through a private practice, specializing in assessment and treatment of high-IQ children, adolescents, and adults with attention disorders. What factors helped you choose Knox College for your undergraduate studies? An alumnus told me of his excellent experience at Knox and helped me set up a visit and interview. I was impressed by the students and faculty I met during the visit and delighted to be accepted.

PETER BAILLEY ’74

1959

Alumni Achievement Award Winner

I have six family members here, including three grown grandchildren, who are very attentive. It’s been a good move. You can contact me at evanscaroline29@gmail.com.” ❯ Carla Kuehn Wastalu e-mailed that, with her husband gone, she needs to be around interesting, dynamic people and stays extremely busy with many activities and groups. In her “dotage,” she’s become a landlady and rents out her Salida, Colorado, house when her 26 family members aren’t there. She has 16 grandchildren to keep her busy, too. ❯ If you enjoy this column, remember that it can only happen if you share some news. Class Correspondent: Letitia Luther Schactner 246 E. Dayton St., Galesburg, IL 61401, 309-342-0748, letnor@comcast.net

Describe your Knox experience— memorable classes, professors, friends, and/or experiences. I met Roberta (Bobbie) Hallquist, who was in a philosophy class with me. She dated my roommate for a time, but we later got together and eventually went on to grad school, settled in Connecticut, married, and together raised our daughter, Liza, and our son, Dave. Her illness and death two years ago was a great loss, but I remain continually grateful for my amazing good fortune in sharing our family life and our mutual love for 48 great years, as well as enjoying trips together to 42 countries. My other valued memories from Knox include intriguing talks in the Gizmo with Phil Haring, mind-expanding classes in religion and philosophy with Bill Matthews, digging deep into history with John Stipp and Gabriel Jackson, and countless late-night conversations with a wide variety of classmates who helped me expand my curiosity and re-examine my assumptions. What do you believe is your most notable achievement? What I consider my most notable achievement is continuing still to be an actively curious and questioning student who remains open to learning new ideas and perspectives each day from my colleagues, my students, my patients, and my reading. Knox helped me get started on this journey, which has taken me to opportunities and experiences I had never even dreamed of. What will you do to celebrate your Alumni Achievement Award? Enjoy a visit to the Knox campus, my ﬁrst in 35 years, with my son who is taking time from his work in Hollywood to help me cultivate my memories and celebrate this special event. What advice do you have for current Knox students? Knox is a great launching pad for lifelong learning. Take advantage of its many opportunities for you to learn about skills, facts, ideas, and yourself— both in classes and in conversations with faculty and fellow students.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Paul Mellican ’62 and wife Nancy recently spent a week on the Schmidt ’56 and Bill ’61 and Barb Lee Fay ’61. Bill Beanblossom ’60 often comes to have lunch with Karl. Hope to see Louise Bost Wolf when she comes to visit her daughter, son-in-law, and grandson. We have a private apartment for overnight guests and a welcome mat always out. Our three children are close by. They miss the barn and horses, but like having us close in town. Karl Nagel ’60 sold the storage business to our boys, and Metro has grown. There is even one in Brazil. We’re pretty much laid back, enjoying the moment and counting our blessings.” ❯ Jan Shroyer is busy learning the correct fundamental techniques for playing her new cello. ❯ Barb Hanawalt Reece is very busy with her family, church, and bridge. ❯ Larry and Barb Woods Blasch ’61 are busy following all the activities of their grandchildren and are happy to have survived the “1,000-year flood’” with only road closures on Seabrook Island. ❯ Cathy Witschey Tompson has adjusted very well to her new hometown of Waco, Texas. She is very active there and frequently visits her children and grandchildren around the country. She says, “How thankful I am for my family and all of you. And, I pray that each of you will experience the Lord’s rich blessing in the coming years.” ❯ Art ’57 and Judy Storck Carlson are very busy with all their family members who live near them in the Crystal Lake/Cary, Illinois, area. They help daughter Kelly, who with another parent, has started a school for autistic children, the Alexander Leigh Center for Autism, in Crystal Lake. ❯ Ralph Harju and wife Elaine continue their art-filled lifestyle in Michigan. They traveled to Barcelona and Trieste this year. Like all of us, they hope for world peace. ❯ From Paul Hohe and wife Elva’s Christmas message: “Our past year has been a blessed and happy one with family, friends, good health, travel, Cubs season tickets, winemaking, cultural events, special celebrations, life, love, and laughter. We hope your year has been a blessed one with much to look forward to.” ❯ Jim Wollrab reports that he has published his 11th novel, Leaving Reality, “about a kid growing up in Alaska who wants to be a hockey player. I’m working on the next one, to be called Murder at the Tamarac Diner, which is about all the snowbirds I’ve met in Florida.” ❯ Bob and I enjoyed a family trip to Spain and Germany in June. The remainder of the year has been pretty quiet. Bob finally completely retired November 1. He has adjusted to a life of leisure, especially on cold, snowy mornings when he can stay in the warm house with only the bird feeders to fill. The yard work and the dogs keep him busy. ❯ Thanks all of you for contributing to the column. We would welcome some newcomers. Keep in touch. Class Correspondent: Louise Bost Wolf 3 Gilbert Park, Knoxville, IL 61448, 309-337-6435 (cell), wolfl@grics.net

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

1960 Dick Aft is now United Way’s most published historian. His fourth book, Uniting a Caring Community, was published late last year. Only 10 books have ever been published about United Way and its predecessor, Community Chest, during its 140-year history. Dick tells us that 2.6 million volunteers in local United Way organizations currently raise more than $5 billion from 9.6 million donors in more than 2,500 communities in North America and more than 40 countries around the world. ❯ Robert Baker published a book, Liberal Arts Education and College Architecture in Steamboat Springs: A Personal History. It is available from www.steamboatbooks.com. The book contains a couple of paragraphs about his Knox experiences. Robert’s book adds to the growing literature on the slow decline of liberal arts education in America. ❯ Hal Lander retired in 2003 from Haywood Community College, west of Asheville, North Carolina, where he served as director of distance learning and instructional technology and as a member of the English faculty. Prior to that, he taught at University of North Carolina–Wilmington, and, before that, he operated his own businesses in Galva and Bishop Hill, Illinois. He and wife Marie-Claire live in Wilmington, North Carolina, where they enjoy walking on the beaches and biking the back roads. They do lots of travelling. Last summer, they spent a month in the West, much of the time visiting son Rob Lander ’86 and his wife in Durango, Colorado. This fall, they journeyed to Angers, France, for a month to help MarieClaire’s parents celebrate their anniversary and to attend her cousin’s wedding. Next year, they plan to visit Hal’s daughters—Beth in Modesto, California, and April Lander ’87 in Rangiora, New Zealand—as well as Marie-Claire’s daughter, Jasmine, in Taupo, New Zealand. ❯ Joe Pankus has been appointed to chair/facilitator of a CEO group covering ﬁve counties of Wisconsin for The Executive Committee (TEC). Today, more than 700 Wisconsin and 20,000 international CEOs embrace the TEC system. The group of CEOs serves a de facto board of directors for each other while sharing their experience and advice. Joe is a colorful character with a background in a variety of business ventures, in addition to having been CEO of Wurlitzer for 15 years. He created all the “Winnie the Pooh” paper products— things such as gift wrap and baby books—under the Disney license for Sears and other major retailers, and he successfully negotiated product licenses with Coca-Cola, Harley-Davidson, Elvis Presley, Budweiser and others, including every major music recording company. He even designed, built, and managed two 18-hole Wisconsin golf courses. During the holidays, Joe and his bride of 55 years met with Gordy and Anne Wetzel Faubel, plus Anne’s sister Barb Wetzel Marsh ’60, in the Chicago area. All are well. ❯ Maury Klein writes that stepdaughter Shannon Perry ’15 has moved to Denver and now works there. Maury’s latest book, Stealing

Games: How John McGraw Used the 1911 New York Giants to Transform Baseball, will be out in April from Bloomsbury USA. Unfortunately, all has not been well for Maury and his wife. He has undergone precautionary chemotherapy after an apparently successful operation for cancer. Wife Kim has been working through concussion symptoms following a car accident. ❯ Mary Kent Knight writes, “I now spend summers in Illinois and winters in Florida. This is to assure that I can play golf (poorly) year-round. Other summer pleasures include spending time with my Illinois son and grandsons (ages 6 and 8) and visiting my son in Michigan. Winter is a good time for travel, so I have tried to make the most of it by cruising to various parts of the world...trying to get in as much as possible while I am still fairly fleet of foot and sound of mind. I enjoy working on various committees, both in Illinois and Florida, creating and maintaining computer databases for a few organizations. I keep up with my Knox friends via a great book club that meets monthly (more or less) in the Chicagoland area, via e-mail, and in Galesburg once or twice a year.” ❯ Frank Gustine very much enjoyed the 55th Class Reunion. He had dinner with Gordy Faubel and his family. Hearing of Gordy’s many travels and duty assignments reminded Frank of another example of dedication he experienced some years ago in Roatan, Honduras. While on a First United Methodist Church medical and school building mission trip, Frank met a very brave and dedicated Peace Corps nurse named Donna. Although she had come from a wealthy family, she lived in a shack without any conveniences while heading the establishment of a clinic to provide health care for the very poor population. Through the clinic, medical and dental treatment were afforded the long lines of people waiting in the very hot sun. To Frank, Donna epitomized the value of the Peace Corps in underdeveloped areas. Both Gordy and Donna were Americans with a strong desire to help others. Both graduated from small liberal arts colleges and used their education to achieve that goal. ❯ Alice Jacoby passed away peacefully at her home in Decatur, Georgia, on December 12, after battling cancer. She received a Ph.D. from Emory University in 1966 and taught at Emory University and Spelman College, in addition to being a stay-at-home mom. She was an avid historian and animal lover. At the time of her death, she was working on a book about Scottish enlightenment in the eighteenth century. She is survived by brother John Jacoby, children Robert and Lisa, and five grandchildren. ❯ Dick Riggs and wife Emma took a holiday cruise on the Caribbean Princess to Roatan, Honduras; Belize; and Cozumel, Mexico. Dick climbed a Mayan temple and went down 100 feet in a submarine to see the coral reef and lots of fish. He also enjoyed singing in a volunteer choir that performed the songs from The Sound of Music in a concert for the entire ship. Class Correspondent: Richard “Dick” Riggs rriggs3@charter.net

Class Knox Natchez Trace.

1961 Hello, you reticent classmates. Despite our pleas for your news, the deadline is upon us with very little to report. ❯ Many thanks to Jim Marks, who shared a good story. “My recollection of Physics 101 class on Monday morning after the weekend art fair in the women’s gymnasium during the fall of 1960: During my senior year at Knox, I was enrolled in introductory physics with a group of underclassmen to fulfill my last science requisite for medical school. The course was taught by Burton E. Squires Jr., an energetic man with straight black hair and a mustache who resembled none other than Adolf Hitler. In retrospect, it is interesting that I never once heard anyone comment on Professor Squires’ resemblance to the German dictator. That Monday morning, we were to receive back the results of our first examination, given the preceding week. The five-problem exam was prefaced by the statement that each of us was employed by a large corporation who depended on us to get an exact answer to every problem we chose to answer. We could do one, two, three, or more of the problems but had to get the exact answer; a student’s final score was also tied to the time it took to arrive at a solution. I did two of the problems in a period of 20 to 30 minutes, got the correct answer for each, and received a high score. Many of the freshmen, disconcerted by the pressure of getting the right answer in the shortest time possible, froze and didn’t do that well. When I walked into the classroom on the first floor of George Davis Science Hall the following Monday morning, everyone was talking about the two exhibits, one in the physics laboratory at the end of the corridor and the other in Professor Squire’s office. The laboratory exhibit consisted of a huge pile of boxes and paper with a big red ribbon labeled ‘second prize’ on the top and the exhibit in the office was a group of ring stands linked together with a blinking red light on the top; the ring stand exhibit supported a blue ribbon labeled, you guessed it, ‘first prize.’ But that was not the end of it. Professor Squires entered promptly at 9:00 and was clearly in a huff. He handed out the corrected exams, which produced some audible groans, and proceeded to start his lecture. He grabbed the pole with the hook on the end and pulled down the upper blackboard to expose a life-size Playmate of the Month. The class exploded, Professor Squires walked out, and I went to the Gizmo with friends. This story is just one of many fond memories that I have of Knox College.” ❯ A very welcome note arrived from Denis Bohm. “Here’s a brief update: I am retired and living with wife Roberta in Mettawa, Illinois. Spending my retirement birding, volunteering as the steward at Middlefork Savanna Forest Preserve, and chairing our village’s Open Lands Planning Panel. Expecting our first greatgrandson in July! Our travels are around the country to visit children and grandchildren— Austin, Seattle, Atlanta, New York City, Western

Springs, and Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Thanks for trying to keep our class up-to-date.” ❯ Gordon Stagg also wrote…that he had nothing to write. At least he answered. Thanks, Gordie. ❯ REMEMBER…Earnest Elmo Calkins, who graduated from Knox exactly 70 years before we did, said, “Alumni are the end products of the College, its reason for existence. What they are, what they have done, is the measure of this college, its contribution to the culture and civilization of the country.” E.E. would have written to us. Now, it’s your turn. Class Correspondents: Susan Shea Worthington 1611 South Street, Lexington, MO 64067-1431, 660-259-4559, skworth@cebridge.net Ella Major Morin 11234 54th Avenue N., St. Petersburg, FL 33708-2949, 727-290-6984, ellanell1963@yahoo.com

1962 Brent ’63 and Barbara Nelson Benson continue spending summers in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, and winters near Anderson, South Carolina, close to the shores of Lake Hartwell. Their daughter—an archeologist for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department— along with her husband (a Schwab ﬁnancial analyst) and their 11- and 14-year-old kids live in Austin, Texas. Their son is an enterprise architect for Harvard Business School, and his wife is a Massachusetts state representative and studying for an M.S. at the JFK School of Government at Harvard; they live with their three children (two in college, one a high school sophomore) in Lunenburg, Massachusetts. The children and grandchildren are a “great joy to us.” When the Bensons aren’t traveling to see family, they work on their two homes—currently a bathroom remodel at their southern place. ❯ Katie Calvert Bloomberg reports on another season of Knoxites and spouses at Chautauqua, our favorite institution of higher learning (next to Knox)—and great gabbing. Plans are in place to gather again this year during the ninth week (August 20-28), which stars Wynton Marsalis and his band and focuses on the inﬂuence of gospel and jazz on the American musical scene. She invites “more Knoxites to join us” and to enjoy all the amenities—a variety of accommodations and prices from homes to hotel rooms, with facilities operated by every conceivable denomination, as well as golf courses, tennis courts, classes, sailing, and more. Chautauqua is located just south of Buffalo. The website for additional information is www.ciweb.org. You can call her at 262-783-5448 or contact her at hankandkate@msn.com if you want more information and insights. She concludes, “Would love to see you and share the experience.” ❯ Paul Mellican and wife Nancy recently spent a week on the Natchez Trace, a little-known linear national park extending 444 miles from Natchez, Mississippi, to Nashville, Tennessee. The Trace—a secluded two-lane road with a 50-mph speed limit and no

stop signs, billboards, or commercial vehicles allowed—traverses a variety of environments, with places of interest all along its length. Highlights included the ancient Emerald Mound Site (the second-largest Native American mound in North America), unique plantation homes, trails, swamps, woods, and historic sites. Something for everyone! You can walk sections of it in the footsteps of Abe Lincoln, who floated down the Mississippi on a flatboat, unloaded its wares in Natchez, and then, along with others, walked back home. A great place to feel a part of the history of this area with no crowds. (Sounds inviting doesn’t it?) ❯ Karen Kuhfuss Koch has “absolutely nothing of importance” to report, but bemoans all the “negative news” about St. Louis—the recent flooding, problems in Ferguson, the loss of the Cardinals to the Cubs in playoffs and in player trades, and the indignity of being abandoned for a second time by an NFL team. She opines that all this has brought embarrassment, anger, and determination. ❯ Cynthia Morse Latta reports that while visiting Chicago with friends from its sister city in France, they were seated on a boat waiting for an architectural river cruise to start when who should walk up the steps to the upper deck but Wayne Hohman and a friend? They were on their way back to California after a visit to Michigan for the wedding of Wayne’s nephew. They had a nice visit. She notes Wayne still works at J&J. ❯ Janet Palmeri Malmberg travelled extensively to Italy after retiring and lived in an apartment in a small village near Florence for eight years. She notes that one does not want a medical emergency in Italy, so— playing the odds as she ages—she gave up the apartment. Needless to say, she misses it. Janet recently took up the autoharp. Trying to play in the manner of Mother Maybelle Carter, she says she is “failing heroically.” She is “happy to be vertical at 75.” (Several of us can second that thought!!) ❯ Dennis East relinquishes the duty as co-correspondent after this edition. “My pancreatic cancer has been under control for a couple of years, and I have been active over the last six months—hunting in South Dakota and Ohio this fall/winter; directing my favorite play, The Black Bonspiel of Wullie MacCrimmon, for the Black Swamp Players in September; enjoying sports events at Bowling Green State University; and serving on the Wood County Law Library Board. Kathy and I hope to join Lynn Melcher Barrett ’64 and husband David, Gordie ’61 and Anne Fribolin Stagg ’64, and our son Brian East ’92 and his friend and their children for a month in Tempe, Arizona, in March-April this year. But new, uncertain developments at this point, new rounds of chemo with a different ‘poison,’ etc., etc. have prompted me to decide to reduce some activities. Hence, this request: Could a classmate volunteer to replace me and help Katie continue to produce notes for the class? Please. I extend the biggest thank you possible to all of you who have sent us news and to Pam Chozen at Knox for all of her coop-

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

“There just wasn’t enough time to visit with the 105 classmates who show Ralph Walter ’69 The KnOxford Connection

SUBMITTED

More than 45 years after graduating from Knox, Ralph Walter ’69 is still using the skills he learned to further his education. Last summer, the Knox trustee completed a master’s degree at the University of Oxford. “I guess you could say that I learned the curse of living the examined life at Knox,” laughs Walter, who studied mathematics at Knox before earning a master’s degree in economics from Indiana University and a doctorate in theology from the Saint Alcuin House Seminary. Walter went on to a successful career at Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors in Los Angeles, California. “I found the skills I learned at Knox incredibly important in my business career because I was able to solve problems that hadn’t been there before. In my ﬁeld of ﬁnance, for example, more than half the tools today hadn’t been invented when I was in school. So I learned to learn. And I learned to enjoy learning.” This joy of learning became particularly evident about 15 years ago when Walter learned that Oxford had a summer continuing education program. “It was fun having a holiday thinking about different things than I had to think about on my job,” said Walter. “It was so much fun that I continued to go back to Oxford every summer.” The programs were three weeks in length and immersed him in topics like cathedrals and churches, theology, Shakespeare, and British naval history. As he approached semi-retirement, Walter learned about a masters of studies in literature and art program at Oxford that had a limited residency. The degree included four fortnight (two-week) residencies. In addition to intensive seminars and papers, Walter wrote a dissertation on special elections in the UK parliament. Of 26 students in the class—the majority in their 30s and British—Walter was one of only three to graduate with distinction. Walter is now fully retired, but his quest for knowledge is far from over. He’s been asked to join the Research Centre for Victorian Political Culture at Oxford’s Keble College, where he will continue his election analysis. He plans to split his time between California and Oxford. “Knox gave me the skills to earn a living wage so that I can now do this,” said Walter. “And even though it’s been 45 years, Knox gave me the love of learning that has stayed with me my entire life.”

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

eration and assistance over my tenure as co-correspondent. But mostly, thanks to all the classmates for all the good wishes and prayers you have sent my way.” Class Correspondents: Katie Calvert Bloomberg hankandkate@msn.com Dennis East denniseast@att.net

1963 Class Correspondent: Ramona Reed Landberg 21500 Baltic Drive, Cornelius, NC 28031, 704-892-4637, landberg.group@outlook.com

1964 Prompt: “U.S. vacations.” Response: Overwhelming. 1,000-word limit. Condensed heavily. Apologies to submitters. [13 words so far] ❯ Avis Sorenson Erickson, Jean Howell Card, Jean Scott Welch, Jo Ann Dworzynski Pierce, Karen Dittmer Bowyer ’63, Kathy Molda East, Nancy Anderson Levin, and Babs Kothe Fiala got together in Springfield, Illinois, for their 25th consecutive annual mini-reunion. Included: the cemetery made famous in Spoon River Anthology; lunch at the Gizmo with Watson Bartlett Professor of Biology Linda Dybas ’64; a personal tour of Alumni Hall, courtesy of Megan Clayton; supper at the farm of Roger ’63 and Bunny Taylor ’63; and an afternoon in Springfield at the Lincoln Museum and Library with Mike Lawrence and wife Marianne and George Shea ’66 and wife Janet. ❯ Great travelogue from Steve Gamble: “The Moab Music Festival. Includes a rare 40-minute trip down the Colorado to a hidden, gigantic grotto. Each event involves fabulous musicians and a Steinway grand piano. The acoustics are wonderful. Food and wine. Trip back passes petroglyphs and Anasazi caves. Other events include hikes into canyons where violin quartets are waiting. Have enjoyed this event five times. It never gets old; the site is so special.” ❯ Pam Norton Nelson: “A delightful week in Santa Fe with friends. We got to blow some glass; had a semi-private tour with wine of the Georgia O’Keefe Museum, followed by dinner at Georgia, The Restaurant; and hiked at Bandelier and Tent Rocks National Monuments. Visited Carol Olles Kellerman ’63 and her husband in Santa Fe and made it to the craft fair, museums, galleries, and studios. Fascinating place.” ❯ Martha Peterson Riley and husband Jim drove from sea to shining sea and from El Paso, Texas, to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Most memorable time: “Seeing our high school grandson sing on stage at Carnegie Hall. Amazing!” ❯ Millicent Handrich Chrusciel received an e-mail from Tom E. Brown after 50 years. Ah, the joy of renewed Knox acquaintances. ❯ Leighton Scott has begun “easy as you go” training for the oldtimers’

Class Knox ed up.” —Diane Trout-Oertel ’65 on the 50th Reunion of the Class of 1965 baseball game to be held during Greencastle, Pennsylvania’s “Old Home Week.” Biggest challenge? Running. [Lee pitched for the Siwash.] ❯ Al and Karen Hummel Crumbliss had a great year of travel. Spring: a visit with Jean Scott Welch and Stacy Stallos in Denver and a bike/barge trip in Italy. Summer: following Karen’s parents’ trails from Minneapolis to Glacier National Park and the Blackfeet reservation with sister Wendy Hummel Hill ’67 and family. Then into Northern Wisconsin to spend several days at the summer home of Don and Catherine Hardinger Shriver ’66 with Mike Pope and wife Marsha and Ray Santini and wife Diane. Al’s fall sabbatical was two months in Tokyo, Japan, “a country we never anticipated we’d see!” ❯ From Leslie Martens Nauta: “I still work as a real estate broker; retiring for me would be boring! I paint in acrylics and volunteer at the art gallery where my work hangs. Also involved with our local Pi Phi alum club as well as bridge, golf leagues, and mah jongg.” ❯ From Kristy Welch: “Began at Knox in 1960, so my class is definitely ’64. After sophomore year, I went to NYC, attended acting school, did a LOT of waitressing, then came back to graduate in 1968. Roamed the planet (a year in Munich, a year in Tehran, a year in Rome). Came to Berkeley in 1972 and never left. Worked as a radio talk show host/producer for more than 40 years now (OMG!) for KPFA, a lefty nonprofit, the very first listener-sponsored, non-commercial station in the U.S. The pay is painful! But the camaraderie and other rewards (she’s been honored with a number of awards) are considerable. LOVE the Bay Area for its diversity—racial, cultural, geographical—but also deeply love my dear Midwest [home town: St. Charles, Illinois] and Knox. When classmate Arnie Egel (now in Paris) subscribes to every fund drive, “I sing a chorus of ‘Hail Knox AllGlorious!’ to the audience.” ❯ Dennis Kalma and John Hesemann, roommates at Knox, get together for outdoor adventures. In October, they were part of a two-week guided raft trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, enjoying its majesty, serenity, and legendary rapids. ❯ Bill Bomash had a Fulbright to study in Denmark in 1972-73, followed by a Marshall grant in 1973. Returning to Minnesota, he completed a Ph.D. in modern European history, specializing in the Danish Reformation. He worked for the Minnesota Historical Society before becoming head of IT at the Minnesota Extension Service. He received numerous grants to expand internet access to rural Minnesota, then spread knowledge to other states. Since retirement, he serves as a docent at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. He and wife Patricia Garrett Bomash ’65 recently went to China and highly recommend Viking Riverboat Cruises. ❯ Steve Marsh: “Sharon and I have moved to Hampstead, North Carolina. I will again teach evidence of the afterlife classes at a nearby college, this year on after-death communications. We enjoy hiking (Sedona is our favorite), thankful every

day for all the good that has come our way.” ❯ Linda Bodensiek Schoneberger: “I just completed a 25-year research project tracking the genealogy of my family, fully suspecting to find a few scoundrels, but, evidently, if they exist, their offenses were not sufficient to be noted in court or other documents. I did find four fourth-great-grandfathers who participated in the Revolutionary War. If only my history classes could have been this captivating....” ❯ Brian Leekley: “I help promote the Kalamazoo Rally and March for Climate Action. The church I attend focuses on climate justice, anti-racism, and preventing violence against women. I hope and expect that Knox is a leader regarding these and other social justice problems.” ❯ In addition to the aforementioned trip to Wisconsin, Mike Pope and wife Marsha’s travels took them to Vancouver, British Columbia, and Jamestown, Rhode Island, as well as a two-week tour of Germany (southern Bavaria and Berlin). Finally, in October, they had a timeshare in the western mountains of Virginia, including a special day spent visiting the nearby homes of Madison, Jefferson, and Monroe. ❯ [999 words. Whew!] Class Correspondent: Terry Klopcic klopcicjt2@roadrunner.com

1965 Diane Trout-Oertel sent a wonderful account of our 50th Reunion. “For me, the Reunion started on Wednesday, when Pat White Strasberg ’64 arrived at my house in St. Paul. (I had been Pat’s guest at her 50th Reunion the year before, and now she was my guest.) The next morning, she and I joined Barbara Schilke Zimmerman and Mary Ellen Alt Johnson, and the four of us drove down to Galesburg together. The conversation was nonstop, and we covered a lot of ground in more ways than one. By the following day, we were reunited with the rest of the ‘Tri-Pis’, an ad hoc group made up of Tri-Delts, Pi-Phis, and Independents who shared a suite in Post Hall our sophomore and junior years. That evening, all had a good time at the Class of ’65 reception in Seymour Library, the first of three events expertly planned by Reunion co-chairs, Gary Moses and Wendel Swan. Another highlight had to be the convocation, beach balls and all! All in all, our Reunion was perfect except for one thing…there just wasn’t enough time to visit with the 105 classmates who showed up. The record-breaking turnout meant that it was a challenge to even say hi to everyone, despite Pumphandle on Friday evening. It helps to know that we will have another chance at this in five years. Hopefully, the Class of ’65 will continue to break records in Reunions to come!” ❯ Duke Botthof sent a picture of seven players from Harley Knosher’s first football team. Of the seven, I recognized Stan Flood, Ken Grimm, and Art Katzmann. ❯ Linda Lee Johnson Rossi is a retired librarian living in Media, Pennsylvania. She has a most interesting hobby—she is in-

volved in “book art.” She studied with Dan Essig, a well-known book artist in Asheville, North Carolina, and, together with a group of nine people, makes and shares books. She creates her own boards and paper and teaches basic-book making techniques. Additionally, she is a watercolorist and has received some firsts-in-show, including one national show. She shared some photos of her works, and they are magnificent. ❯ Richard and Janell Stevens Mesic enjoy traveling abroad. ❯ Sandra Banks and her two West Highland terriers recently moved to a working farm and are very happy fulfilling a lifelong dream. ❯ Warren Johnson and Paula Hoffstadt Johnson have been celebrating their 50th anniversary throughout the year at different places and times, allowing them to get together with people that have been important to them and thank them for being part of their lives. “We hope to include Paula’s cousins in England and Israel and my cousin in Sweden next summer,” he says. Warren greatly enjoyed Professor Jorge Prats’ appearance at the Reunion banquet at the Minneapolis Swedish Institute. Warren still helps out at the Chippewa Middle School, where he worked the last 20 years of his career in education. He videotapes the choir, Glee Club, and orchestra concerts at school musicals and creates DVDs for all interested. He began his interest in audiovisual “stuff” while working under Bucky Swise ’42 at Knox. Paula and Warren are regulars at the nearby Life-Time Fitness Club, where water aerobics helps with his arthritis. They have two grandchildren, ages 3 1/2 and 6 months, both living in Oregon. Warren is very conscious of the guidance, love, and friendship he has received throughout life and for the opportunities to show that by serving others. ❯ Jeff Simon continues to travel to the Middle East and Eastern Europe, though a bit less frequently than in past years. ❯ Joe Thompson wants to get interested classmates to meet up in Chicago in June 2016. The site has been selected for both good weather and because it’s a halfway point between the East and West Coasts. Diane Trout-Oertel agrees, and she and others plan to make the journey. Any interested classmates can contact either Diane or Joe. ❯ Wife Beverly Anderson and I continue to work on our farm and recently completed a new stall for Arabella, one of our Arabian horses. Class Correspondent: Terry Rothstein, M.D. 220 N. 32nd Street, Parsons, KS 67357, antiquarian@wavewls.com

1966 We asked classmates to send us news of their lives or to share a favorite Christmas holiday memory from their Knox years. ❯ First, the news. Ted Corwin of Westlake, California, reports, “Two of my four children came for Christmas. My daughter, who lives in Chico, drove down with her husband and my granddaughter. My son, who lives in Los Angeles, also came home. My eldest son, who lives in Aspen, Colorado, with his wife and

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

“Since I painted ‘Fly Navy’ on our barn roof, we get more jet fighter two children, wasn’t able to come this year. My youngest son is in school in Shanghai and didn’t make it home, either. Right now, he struggles with air pollution and cold.” ❯ Virginia Bliss Bailey sends word that “Husband Rick and I live in downtown Denver. Our daughter and family live in Colorado Springs. Our eldest son is on Orcas Island, Washington, and son number two is in Minneapolis. We have seven grandchildren. Rick and I enjoyed our teaching careers in Illinois, and we’re loving our retirement in Colorado. Can’t believe it’s been almost 50 years since graduation. I look forward to our 50th Reunion in Galesburg.” ❯ Nancy Hubbard Stanley and husband Stan have planned a trip to Washington, D.C., in the spring. They will extend that to visit with Mary Anderson Audet and husband Hobie in Maryland, and then the four will travel on to Williamsburg. ❯ Steve and Susan Wood Bailey held their annual holiday open house before Christmas. Susan writes: “In eight days, I addressed and sent out holiday cards and cooked for Christmas Eve and Christmas night. And now…on to 2016 and Homecoming!” ❯ David Lund sent word that “2015 was a year of adjustment to a new marriage to Susan Deitrick Carradice Houghton; that has meant picking up three more children to add to my own two, plus three more grandchildren, for a total of ﬁve. Fall 2015 marked my last season as a high school football referee after 44 years.” After more than 30 years working for Uncle Sam, Dave decided to retire. “The magic date will be the end of January 2016.” ❯ Richard Mogensen and wife Trisha Barrett were at Lake Tahoe with daughter Kirsten over Christmas and New Year’s, “skiing and taking a break from work and teaching. We plan to see everyone next October in Galesburg.” ❯ Next, KNOX HOLIDAY MEMORIES. Sue Beck Hoff led off with the ﬁrst of the Knox Christmas memories. “Of course, Howard Wilson reading A Child’s Christmas in Wales to a packed and festive crowd in the Gizmo has to top the list! But among others is riding the Knox Special on the CB&Q from Galesburg to Chicago and knowing I was nearing home and family as the number of lights grew from the darkened landscape of farmland to streetscapes of suburb to the brilliance of the city I loved.” ❯ Ned Wetmore wrote, “We could be assigned a project in at least one class that required Christmas vacation time to complete. Before my senior year, I usually had time to start work before leaving on vacation. In 1965, however, there were applications for grad school and several class assignments to complete. One important project had not even gotten started. So I threw my only college all-nighter before vacation. This was exhausting, but the effort got me to the last day. Everything was completed by late afternoon. I had a great trip to Chicago in the evening on the Burlington’s student special. Eventually, I fell sound asleep on the train. I would have ended up in the CB&Q coach yard all night had a conductor not spent time getting me off at Union Station. Christmas that year was

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

delightful.” ❯ Jerry Sebesta’s poignant memory was a post-Knox moment. “In the mid-70s, I attended a charity event called Santa Claus Anonymous held on Chicago’s Near North Side. As I walked around the event, I passed a woman who said, ‘Didn’t you go to Knox College?’ She was Marsha Waters Hinrichs ’68. We had never met on campus. That evening we talked for several hours, and, 11 months later, we were married. We had 30 years together until her death in 2009.” ❯ From Greta Kallio Nagel, we learned even more about going home from Knox for the holidays by train. “Memory reveals that we were quite a crowd, getting on special cars full of students headed to Union Station in Chicago, with a few other stops along the way. We all felt festive and were undoubtedly a pretty noisy bunch. Then there were those males who accepted the ‘Mendota Run’ challenge. One of those guy-things, they had to see who could run from the train to the tavern across from the station and get back on the train with beer(s) before it pulled away. Well, some of the fellows didn’t make it. Exact details will have to come from someone else. The trip back to Knox was more civilized. In the mid-60s, we dressed for the experience—me in my red-plaid wool suit, stockings, and high heels, accompanied by my suitcase that required carrying (no wheels!). I remember wishing my journey on the California Zephyr could have been to a destination farther away than the ‘Burg,’ allowing me to dine in the dining car set up with its elegant place settings.” ❯ Mike Denniston sent two holiday memories of his years at Knox. “In the ’60s, Knox’s semester was not finished at Christmas, and there was often a paper or project due early in January, just before final exams. I worked part-time at the Hawthorne Drug Store on Main Street cleaning up the store, etc. During the week before Christmas, I helped deliver gifts to physicians’ offices. These included chocolates, liquor, cigars—healthy things like that. The more prescriptions you sent our way, the bigger your gift box.” ❯ Ron Lehmann shared these holiday memories. “Big fire in the Gizmo fireplace as a backdrop to Howie Wilson’s reading of A Child’s Christmas in Wales—great ambiance and memorable poetic tale. Also, everyone piling onto the Burlington student special to return home for the holidays. Wonder if that still exists?” ❯ Dale Litney summed up. “My special Christmas memory was recognition of the fact that friends can accept us as we are and keep us grounded and hopeful. So, in the belief that old friends stay together simply because of shared memories and experiences from the past, I’ve been in contact with fellow Old Siwashers about coming to our 50th Reunion.” Class Correspondents: Steve & Jo Strehle Sommers 209 North Lombard, Oak Park, IL 60302-2503, steveandjo.sommers@comcast.net

1967 Nancy Rabenstein Pielemeier: “Heads up, classmates! Carol Romsa Parke and I had a call with the Knox alumni office to start getting organized for our 50th Reunion in October 2017. We need volunteers for the organizing committee, so please let us know if you would like to volunteer before we call you! We understand that the Class of ’65 had two-thirds of the class participate; let’s match that!” ❯ Julie Badel: “I finished my first year as president of the Finnish American Chamber of Commerce-Midwest.” ❯ Jeff Braun: “I’m still professor of physics and department chair at the University of Evansville (Indiana), where I’ve been since 1984. We welcomed our first grandchild on November 15, so it was a wonderful fall.” ❯ “Sammy” McKee Kenny: “Sending greetings to all my old friends. Hope to see you at the Reunion next year.” ❯ Mike McNaull: “This was the first winter we stayed on our farm in the mountains of West Virginia since I retired in 2000. We spent four winters on our sailboat in the Bahamas and then roamed from Florida to Texas in our various RVs until 2014, when we decided to winter in Nerja, Spain. Spain was a fantastic time, and I will miss being there. (If you want a neat experience, look up Nerja.) Last year, we built an addition for Trish’s 89-yearold mother, who now lives with us; our traveling days will have to take a break for a little while. We enjoy her company and are glad to have her in a safe environment. We will stay busy taking care of our four horses, seeing a little more of our grandkids, and maybe do some skiing at Snowshoe. Oh yeah, since I painted ‘Fly Navy’ on our barn roof, we get more jet fighter traffic in our low-level navigation route to entertain this old retired Navy pilot.” ❯ Elsa Swenson Teel: “Pete and I, along with dog Whidbey, have pulled up stakes and moved clear across the country from Blue Hill, Maine, to Langley, Washington, on Whidbey Island! (The draw was four grandchildren in Seattle.) We love it here!” ❯ Tom and Dorie Campbell Tichenor: “We are 10 years into retirement and continue in good health. We visit our daughter and twin grandchildren in Tucson and our son in Seattle as often as possible. Life is good. We look forward to connecting with Knox friends at our 50th Reunion next year.” ❯ Rick Uebner: “Jetty and I just celebrated our 43rd wedding anniversary. We still enjoy living close to Yosemite (come visit with us and stay here), enjoying our grandkids and working in our ceramic art studio.” ❯ Sam Griswold: “Wife Mireille Henninger Griswold and I enjoy retirement in South Carolina, with homes in Columbia and on Edisto Island near Charleston. I continue lobbying on behalf of state retirees, and we both enjoy gardening, boating, and fishing.” ❯ Judy Crawford De Leon: “This year, Jorge and I went to Denmark, the Netherlands, England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. It was great to visit in London with two of my fellow University of Madrid classmates from 1965–66. Travel is so

Class Knox traffic.” —Mike McNaull ’67

It’s great to hear from David York since he hasn’t written in a long time. He shared, “I find myself in 2016 winding up a 43-year career in commercial banking and management. Following graduation, I attended Navy Officer Candidate School and spent 3 1/2 years at sea, with two deployments to the waters off Vietnam. After the Navy, I completed an MBA at Washington University in St. Louis, returned to Tulsa to start my banking career, and have spent the last 40 years there with wife Becky. I have had visits from Ace Hoyt over the years, most recently two years ago when he visited his grandkids. In 2014, I spent time with Donna Roberts Godkins, now living in Houston, at our 50th high school reunion. We have enjoyed seeing Sue Bennetsen Postel in Chicago and, more recently, in St. Louis when our son worked there. Last spring, my son moved to Oklahoma City, following my footsteps in commercial banking. Sue’s husband, Roy, was in the MBA program with me. Daughter Jenny is a physical therapist. After working in Chicago for six years, she is now with a private clinic in Tulsa. We plan on making the 50th, and it will be upon us before we know it.” ❯ Pamela Harrison Stoffel reports, “This past year was a busy one as I continue to teach and direct theatre. I’m in rehearsal for a March production of Fiddler on the Roof. But the everyday routine was broken up by a trip at Thanksgiving to Los Angeles to attend the finals of Dancing with the Stars, a birthday gift from my husband. My brother and his wife joined us, and we spent Thanksgiving Day with them and my niece and nephew at their home in Laguna Niguel. Bindi definitely deserved to win! Next July, all of our kids and grandchildren will join us on Sea Island in Georgia for our five-year celebration of significant five- and 10-year birthdays. We will fly them all down in a private jet, which the grandchildren, all five and under, are already gearing up for. This party has now become a tradition. If you will be in Rochester or the Sea Island area, please let me know. It’s great reading news from those in the Knox Class of ’68 Facebook group!” ❯ Dr. Ira Weiner reports that he and Janet Vanek Weiner are still in Panama City Beach, Florida, and he still works part-time

2016 Alumni Achievement Award Marcea Bland Lloyd ’68 The first in her South Side Chicago family to go to college and only 16 years old, Marcea Bland Lloyd was rejected by the only college she wanted to apply to, Radcliffe. Eager to find a Plan B closer to home, her parents asked her high school what the best private school in Illinois was. Its recommendation was Knox College. Though she loved political science, Marcea decided to major in sociology instead. “It seemed like the only career options available to young black women were nursing, teaching, and social work,” she says. After graduating in just three years, at age 19, she considered the graduate program in social work at the University of Chicago but couldn’t make herself write a 2,500-word essay on how she was going to change the world, required for admission. “I thought, maybe I’ll take this law school aptitude test instead,” she laughs. Her high scores won her a place at Northwestern. “I would have never gotten into the social work program; I didn’t have a clue why I was going. Law school was where I belonged.” It certainly was. She began her career working for the city of Chicago, representing the African American Patrolmen’s League, and volunteering for the ACLU Ghetto Project, addressing police misconduct. “It was depressing work,” she says. “There was no justice to it. Maybe you got some charges dropped, but no one ever apologized for what had happened.” On a whim, she interviewed with Pillsbury in Minneapolis and discovered that she found the corporate environment energizing. From there, she worked at Montgomery Ward, did a brief stint at University of Minnesota (“everyone wanted to talk about what the law should be, rather than how to implement the law that was”), then spent 21 years at medical device manufacturer Medtronic. She moved to Dallas in 1999 to join healthcare purchasing company VHA as senior group vice president, general counsel, and chief administrative officer. In 2007, she joined Amylin, a California company that had developed the first once-a-week treatment for type 2 diabetes—a medication she takes herself. She finally retired after it was acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb in 2013. “Otherwise, I’d probably still be working there; it was both personally and professionally important.” PETER BAILLEY ’74

1968

Alumni Achievement Award Winner

great now that we can take more time and not have to hurry back to the ofﬁce. I hope to see many of you back at Knox for our 50th.” ❯ The Turners: After many wonderful years living “out” on a small riverside acreage a dozen miles from the city of Eugene, we have moved back into town. Closer proximity to our two sons and their families seems like a good idea, now that we are working our way toward Old Age. Not there yet, but we can see it coming. Class Correspondents: Jack and Anne Talley Turner 50 East 39th Place, Eugene, OR 97405, anneturner345@gmail.com or raptorjackturner@gmail.com

How was your college experience different from your children’s? It’s interesting to see the changes in a single generation. My daughter is a successful Wall Street lawyer, but her career path has been much more intentional and also, I think, more risk-averse. By the time I was 19, I had far exceeded family expectations. So I wasn’t afraid of failure, and when new opportunities came up, I took them. I think I would have retired a lot earlier if I had been relegated to just practicing law.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

“We are back from sailing the South Pacific … and ready to work on as a clinic psychiatrist. They are in the process of preparing for their annual Jamaica vacation. ❯ Lee Balgemann is proud to become one of the first baby boomers to turn 70 (SEVENTY!). “Seventy is the new 50, ya know..... Happy New Year, all!” ❯ Paul and Diane Koepppel Madsen ’67 wrote, “We really enjoy our three-year-old granddaughter. At our 45th Reunion, members of the class who came back decided to use Facebook to keep in touch and share news of what is happening in our lives. Classmates, please share this so we can get more on the Facebook connection.” ❯ Mary Mangieri Burgland reports that husband George sold his drug store business to Hy-Vee food stores. They are trying to ease into retirement. ❯ Al Bryant says he missed the class on retirement and has opened an office in Naples for his investment firm, Segall, Bryant & Hamill...come on down! ❯ Jo Anne Rawlings Vieweg has been busy as president of the board of directors of the Red River Valley AspergerAutism Network, a nonprofit that supports individuals with autism and their families. They recently received a grant to continue development of a training manual to teach caregivers how to set up and run support groups. She feels this is a rewarding way of using her experiences as an educator and counselor. She also spends time with her four grandchildren and really enjoys retirement. ❯ Chip Evans said it was great to have lunch and reconnect recently with Siwashers who he had not seen in years or decades, like Rich Isberner ’69, Allan Penwell ’66, Jim Johnson ’66, Jerry Vovis ’65, Fred Wicks ’65, and Art Katzmann ’65. Retirement gives him more time to enjoy their grandchildren and to learn what classmates have been doing since leaving Knox via the Knox 68 Facebook group, which has more than 100 members now. He took two grandchildren on a summer driving trip west to national parks in South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming. He saw Jim Miller at a U.S. Masters Swimming meet years ago in the Chicago area but lost contact. If anyone is in contact with him, please let Chip know. ❯ Wendy Saul, a professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis since 2003, will take a group to Fuxin, China, in March to student-teach. Last month, she and husband Alan met with David Axelrod ’67 and wife Linda for a trip to the Museum of Jurassic Technology (www.mjt.org). Definitely worth the detour. ❯ I still play pickleball, take an art class, enjoy a book study and discussion, and volunteer at the Misericordia thrift shop. I want to get back to stamping cards. I enjoy retirement, the Blackhawks, Star Wars, and our two wonderful grandkids. I will travel to Phoenix in February with a great group of women. Thanks so much for all the quick responses. Class Correspondent: Susan Meyer Mika 1519 North Kennicott Avenue, Arlington Heights, IL 60004, 847-253-7719, pottatea@comcast.net

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

1969 A group of Knox alums, spearheaded by John ’67 and Kim Adams Post, has reported the development of a memorial at Green Oaks for our recently departed and beloved friends Jerry ’68 and Diane Scott Stubbs. They request that donations or gifts for the “Stubbs Memorial Garden” be forwarded to Knox at knoxalumni.org/Stubbs or by check, payable to Knox College and noting “Stubbs Memorial Garden” in the memo line, mailed to: Knox College Office of Advancement, Campus Box K-230, 2 East South Street, Galesburg, IL 61401-9970. The group has set a goal of $15,000 for the creation of a wildflower garden. ❯ The Class of 1969 lost another of its most interesting and accomplished members this fall. Ed Andreas earned a master’s degree in physics and a Ph.D. in physical oceanography after graduating from Knox. Hired by the U.S. Army’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, he spent four months as the lead American meteorologist on the American and Russian Ice Station Weddell, the first research station deployed on floating Antarctic ice. His journey followed the trek of Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance mission and was the first human visit to that area in 75 years. Ed also participated in several Arctic expeditions, published more than 125 academic articles, and was named a Fellow of both the American Meteorological Society and the Royal Meteorological Society. He married Diane Forsyth in 1977, with whom he had a daughter, Emily. Our condolences to his family. ❯ Doug Andersen shortened his bucket list by winning the cartoon caption contest in The New Yorker magazine this past December. ❯ I found myself in Denver last August, where my daughter, Kellie, lives with husband Mike and children Morgan and Connor Scott. While there, I met up with KT Johnson and his charming wife, Sandy, as well as Mike Webster and wife Luana, among others. Included in the others was one Bill Weaver, friend of Knox and 1965 graduate of Galesburg High School. Glad to report that all seemed healthy and happy, and it was a delight to spend some quality time with those dear friends. Class Correspondent: Bill Combs bcombsi@yahoo.com

1970 Mark Goodwillie reports, “In fall 2011, business partner Scott Long and I visited an old World War II Flying Tiger air base in China that had been preserved as a museum. We soon learned of a young North Carolina man who risked his life ﬁghting the Japanese as a ﬁghter pilot for the Flying Tigers. He was declared MIA but returned home a hero 61 years later. This summer, our joint collaboration effort with the Chinese, a movie called The Unknown Tiger, premiered in China to an audience of 85 million viewers. Now we are raising money to remake it for American and worldwide audiences.” ❯ Doug Youngren

and wife Sandy split their time between Darien, Illinois, and Sarasota, Florida. They very much enjoyed the Reunion and look forward to the 50 Year Club extravaganza in 2020. Doug thanks fellow townie Suzanne Clark Klohn for the alert about the impending GHS 50th reunion. ❯ Walt and Mary Kay Gaunt Stinson ’69 still work full-time in the business they founded with Steve Weiner ’71 in 1972. Walt reports, “We’ve recently expanded into Oregon and New Mexico, and ListenUp.com has expanded, too. Our team installed the technology infrastructure for the new Alumni Hall, and Steve and I traveled to Galesburg for the unveiling and met up with John Sauter ’63. Finally, Mkay and I are excited about our first grandchild, a girl.” ❯ From A.J. Van Auken Smith: “I traveled by car with my dog, Harley, to visit my sister and her family in Summerville, South Carolina, for the holidays.” ❯ From Topper Steinman: “I enjoyed seeing those who could make it back for our 45th. Let’s ‘rock the boat’ (on Lake Storey?) for our 50th in five—are all of YOU that old? You’d be proud of Old Siwash in the land of Prairie Fire! Personally, wife Carol and I have lived in Champaign, Illinois, for more 40 years. We are mostly retired, doing some volunteering, some exercising, some napping, and some trying to remember yesterday and tomorrow with a focus on today. We have two children and three grands (14, 9, and 2)—all doing well. Finally, this commercial: I work with K Club, Knox’s athletics booster organization, which hopes to increase both membership and funding. Join online at www.knoxalumni.org/kclub. It’s one more way to give back to a place that made a difference in our lives.” ❯ Georgeann Shipley Chaffee: “Since Knox, I’ve earned a master’s in public administration and worked in upper management in public and nonprofit organizations. Charlie Woodruff (my best husband) and I live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I’m now retired and active in our local master gardeners program. I also take inspiration and produce perspiration working in our home garden and in the rose garden at Burden Museum and Gardens: www.lsuagcenter.com/burden. We have two grandchildren, 24 and 30.” ❯ Bob and Jan Eckardt Butler still dig most of their veggies from their garden in Tulsa. They both teach at Holland Hall Preparatory School, well past normal retirement age. Bob teaches English, American studies, creative writing, and a film class. Jan teaches art and brings back monarch butterflies to campus with an active milkweed-planting and caterpillarraising program. They have no grandchildren, just two dogs and two cats they can leave with housesitters as they flit off to Buffalo and New York City, where their daughter and son work on highfalutin Ph.D.s. ❯ Jim Hogue is making a movie called Made in Vermont, a screwball comedy about oddballs who think they can make a movie. www.facebook.com/Vermontmadefilm ❯ Three years ago, at the request of their daughter and her wife, Jack and Patty Curtis Pfitsch left their farm in Wisconsin, where they lived for 35

Class Knox climate change solutions.” —Virginia Malmquist ’70 years, for Brooklyn, New York, to help with child care for their first grandchild. To their surprise, they actually love the city. Patty works as a freelance writer and editor, while Jack does most of the child care and also writes. They run a small business transcribing film footage and even have some time for gardening. With another daughter in New York and a son in D.C., they spend lots of time with their family but return to Wisconsin three or four times a year. Check out Brooklyn Bound at patriciacurtispfitsch.wordpress.com. ❯ Janet Watson Hoyne: “I retired in 2009 from my job as an elementary school counselor. I spend time birding; Andy and I just got back from Trinidad and Tobago. I have never been so hot in my life, and I live in St. Louis. The best example of how hot it was is that my cough drops melted. I also spend a lot of time volunteering for Opera Theatre of St. Louis and trying to become fluent in French. We have six grandchildren: two in Edinburgh, two in Portland, Oregon, and two in St. Louis.” ❯ Charles Kartman writes, “I have been dragged out of retirement to teach a grad course at Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs.” ❯ From Roger Andersen: “We enjoy family and travel, with our just-married son in Portland and our granddaughter living with her parents near Seattle. Having a grandchild has personalized our global warming concerns, and we now have solar panels on the roof and an electric car in the garage. Maybe those partially make up for the harm we cause on cruise ships.” ❯ Marc Wollman: I’m sorry to have missed Homecoming. I’m not the only one; my mother, Shyla Slobodkin Wollman ’46, thinks she will skip her 70th next year. I’ve been busy installing shows, helping other artists with framing, working on printing some of my backlog of negatives, and preparing for exhibitions. (Last December, I was in five exhibitions at once!) I’m also a board member and membership chair for the Artists Gallery. ❯ Dave Lambert writes: “Judy Waggoner Lambert ’71 and I welcomed our second grandchild in September: Matilda (Mattie) Ann, who is the daughter of daughter Katie Lambert Weaver ’05.” ❯ Sandy Klein Frum writes: “Husband Carlos and I live in Northbrook, where we are very active in the community. I am serving my second term as mayor, and Carlos is a past district governor for Rotary District 6440. We have three children and six grandchildren, with one more on the way. ❯ Virginia Malmquist writes: “We are back from sailing the South Pacific, 14,580 miles under the keel in eight months, and now home to work on climate change solutions. Trying to motivate baby Boomers to ‘invest’ their savings by spending it on energy solutions, anywhere from electric cars to solar panels to insulation and caulking.” ❯ Martha Hohn Friedlander has been retired for nearly three years, cutting out early from her last year of teaching because of a serious stroke. Fortunately, she has fully recovered. Previously, she served as the science department chair at Greenhills School, a private 6-12 school in Ann

Arbor, Michigan. Through her skillful leadership, the department sought and won the 2007 Intel Schools of Distinction award for high school science. Martha and her husband Tom enjoy their 40-acre property outside of Ann Arbor, letting the wildlife have priority on most of it! Class Correspondent: Nancy Hoover Debelius 865 Gayer Drive, Medina, OH 44256-2901, 330-723-5658, Knox1970@zoominternet.net

1971 Here is some info on the glorious Class of ’71. For more info, live and unedited, come join us for our 45th Reunion at Homecoming, October 14-16. We are planning several events and would love to have everyone there. ❯ John Hayes (jehesq@aol.com) and Carolee have traveled to various places, including the Jersey Shore to see Bill Larkin and wife Sally, San Francisco with their youngest grandson, Seattle, and Hawaii for Thanksgiving. Now that Carolee has recuperated from spinal fusion surgery, they plan to travel to Cuba on the Knox trip in March. ❯ Charley Stivale (ad4928@wayne.edu) married Nancy Kozak. He now has two stepdaughters, both of whom are University of Michigan grads, while Charley and Nancy remain Michigan State fans! ❯ John Castle (jrcastle@cox.net) is a double retiree (from the U.S. Army as a lieutenant colonel, as well as the Army Civil Service). He and children Jack (college junior) and Holly (high school senior) spent Christmas in Norway. John and Holly also visited Australia, where John showed her the city where he lived for a few years. ❯ Jan Novak Dressel (jandressel3@yahoo.com) is also a happy retiree enjoying being “Mimi” to four grandkids ages 1-4. All of Jan’s children live in the Chicago area, which means Jan gets to see Sandy Husar Ligon often when Sandy visits her grandchildren. Jan puts her American Studies major to good use as president of the Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest, which is renovating an 1898 firehouse for its own space. Between raising money, stripping wood, flipping floors, putting in geothermal heating/cooling systems, new electrical, fire protection, etc., the building has become Jan’s fifth grandchild. ❯ Steve and Gail Sims Smith (gssmith.ergc@ gmail.com) are retired and spend winters in their condo in Leesburg, Florida, near their son and his wife. They have two grandchildren, one of whom has followed in Gail’s footsteps as a state officer in Rainbow Girls and the other of whom creates stop-action videos. Gail and John spend much of their summer with family in Door County. ❯ Tom Cohrs (tomcohrs@aol.com) and wife Ann are also among the retired and just celebrated the birth of their first grandchild. ❯ I finally heard from Peggy Prichard Stein (9kenton@gmail.com), who resigned from a 32-year banking career in 2003 and left Streator, Illinois, where she had lived all her life. She moved to a wonderful retirement community in Bella Vista, Arkansas, to accept a position at a

bank in Bentonville. After being a widow for almost 20 years, Peggy remarried in 2013 and reports that she and her husband live the retirement dream: traveling, playing golf, and volunteering. In 2015, they cruised to Alaska, drove to Florida and the East Coast, and visited Arizona and California. In 2016, they will go to Hawaii, Italy, and Greece. They also visit their ﬁve grandchildren (ranging from seven years to nine months) in Kansas City, Missouri, and Columbus, Ohio. ❯ Steve Phillips (knox1971@gmail.com) is semi-retired from Baylor Research Institute. He teaches anatomy and physiology for nursing students and an evening course in psychology. The anatomy course brings back memories for Steve of Biology 243: Vertebrate Anatomy, which he took freshman year under Dr. Bill Neff with two other freshmen: Judy Bowker ’72 and Linda Marriner Ourach. Like many of us, Steve may make an appearance at our 45th Reunion and would like to see the beautiful renovated Alumni Hall. ❯ Ralph (namron624@comcast.net) and Sue Kamp Norman ’70 checked three of their bucket list items off with visits to the Football Hall of Fame, the Baseball Hall of Fame, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. They also followed their (and my) beloved White Sox to Arizona and Pittsburgh. Other than that, they enjoy life in Freeport, Illinois, site of a Lincoln-Douglas debate and hometown of Topper Steinman ’70. ❯ Dave ’70 and Judy Waggoner Lambert (djbkl@comcast.net) greeted the arrival of their second granddaughter, Matilda Ann Weaver (Mattie), in late September. Her parents are Katie Lambert Weaver ’05 and husband Joe. Judy and Dave look forward to seeing everyone at Homecoming. ❯ Colleen Conway (lifeguardqueen@hotmail.com) and husband John are grandparents of a beautiful girl, Teagan Elaine Jaeger. ❯ Carol Hartman Bordet (chezbordet@yahoo.com) says she enjoys retirement with lots of reading, plays, and traveling. In 2015, she spent time on Martha’s Vineyard, in Boston, renovating her house in Sauganash (Chicago), and attending the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. She will be in Switzerland, England, France, and Italy from March through October. Once she settles back in Chicago, she hopes to tutor needy students. ❯ Mildred Culp (workwise@comcast.net) wrote an article, “Aronia Berries for New Fruit Wine Flavors,” in the Midwest Wine Press. She and husband John Pilcher operate Coldbrook Farm Inc. and grow aronia berries to market worldwide. ❯ Dave Brillhart (David.Brillhart@ ipaper.com) still works at International Paper but thinks of retiring one of these days to spend more time with the grandchildren. He and his wife saw daughter Anna get married last year. This has increased Dave’s travel as they visit their grandson in Lincoln, Nebraska, and granddaughter in Texas. ❯ Life is good here, too. Judy and I visit granddaughter Olivia (and her mom and dad) as much as is possible out in Santa Clarita, California. Judy is “retired,” doing some substitute teaching and supervising student teachers for

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Standup comic Kathy Pilcher Brennan ’74 says her comedy influences 2016 Alumni Achievement Award After graduating from Knox, Ernest Buck studied medicine at Rush Medical College in Chicago before moving to Texas to practice pediatric medicine. As medical director of the Driscoll Children’s Health Plan, he helped expand healthcare options for low-income families across South Texas. He was also recipient of the 2014 Texas Pediatric Society Charles W. Daeschner, Jr., MD Lifetime Achievement Award for his work, the organization’s highest honor, in recognition for his work as a physician and as an educator. He credits Knox as a formative influence in his career and has even funded a scholarship, the Buck Family Scholarship, “in the hopes that others may have the life-changing experience of a fine liberal arts education.” How did you decide to study medicine? Knox was, and is, a small school that showers students with personal attention. I arrived hoping to become an attorney and was persuaded by my professors that I would do well in medicine. Aggressive recruitment into the first Rush at Knox program year resulted in my admission to medical school and my later adherence to a medical career. PETER BAILLEY ’74

What do you believe is your most notable achievement?

I have been lucky to find positions where I, with the cooperation of many others, could pursue what we call “big hairy goals” over extended periods. The most notable of these is the decrease in the number of premature births in South Texas. In five years, we went from a 15 percent premature birth rate to a 10 percent rate. This was accomplished with the cooperation of the Driscoll Foundation, the State of Texas, multiple obstetric providers, and numerous pediatric colleagues. Some other goals we’ve pursued include decreasing the number of children needing dental surgery by promoting the use of fluoride varnish in pediatric offices and improving vaccination rates among Texas children—moving the state from 49th in the nation to 12th in a single decade. None of these ideas were unique, but it took promotion of the goal, engagement of the stakeholders, and removal of barriers to be successful. What advice do you have for current Knox students? Value your sheltered time on this campus. Learn your chosen material deeply… not just well enough to pass a “multiple guess” test. Develop great writing skills and confidence in your abilities.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Alumni Achievement Award Winner

Ernest Buck, M.D. ’74

Northeastern Illinois University. I had the thrill of playing a baseball game on the Field of Dreams in Iowa last summer. Standing where “Shoeless Joe” did in the movie, it was a truly memorable experience. My 1917 White Sox hardball team will return for a tournament on October 7-9, and Max Utsler ’70 (Read more about him on pp. 8-11.) may come up to play with a Kansas City team. We hope to see everyone in Galesburg the following weekend for Homecoming! Class Correspondent: Jerome A. Tatar 333 Wilshire Drive West, Wilmette, IL 600913151, 847-251-4889, jerry@tatarlawﬁrm.com

1972 Bruce Arfken writes, “Just to bring you up to date from last year, we have achieved the $50K funding target, so the David Hartmann/Sigma Nu Scholarship is now an endowed scholarship. A total of 33 people contributed, allowing us to achieve the funding target in less than two years. Amazing. Needless to say, Bill Durall, Steve Suskin, and I were surprised how quickly people pulled together to make this funding possible. But then again, DW was a very remarkable individual. He touched a lot of lives at Knox, and the number of people contributing is just one indication of this.” ❯ Steve Suskin adds, “Thirty-three people changing lives in perpetuity...something for everyone to think about. Kudos to all who stepped up.” ❯ Bob Fairbank writes, “My news? It’s Wednesday night, and I am WAY too sober. Happy Thanksgiving! Party On.” ❯ Lindon Lewis writes, “I retired from Ball Aerospace last December and moved to Valencia, Spain, with wife Carrie Klauber and our two children, Andy and Eva Klauber. We will live here for one or more years, where we are all working on our Spanish. Andy and Eva are in high school. We welcome visitors. What more can I say? Oh, Valencia is a wonderful city with beautiful beaches and delightful people. Look up Fallas on the internet. Crazy.” ❯ Bob Shullaw spent most of 2015 recovering from surgery after tearing his ACL playing beach volleyball on vacation in Mexico. All’s healed now, and Bob and wife Lara look forward to getting back into competitive ballroom dancing together in 2016. ❯ Bill Sowle writes, “After cruising Alaskan waters with Norwegian Star, hiking, biking, and kayaking in June, I traveled in my Roadtrek RV into Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and California, making a 5,000-mile loop mostly on back roads. Telluride, Flaming Gorge, Craters of the Moon, Mount St. Helens, and the Redwoods of Northern California to name a few of the great places. In September, my daughter and I went from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland, via Viking Line on the Rhine River. We spent extra days in Amsterdam and Lucerne. The Anne Frank House, paintings of Rembrandt and Van Gogh...castles on the Rhine…Lake Lucerne and cog railway to the top of Mount Rigi...magical

Class Knox include George Carlin, Spiro Agnew, and Erma Bombeck. places.” ❯ Vincent Throop writes, “What am I doing after Knox? Living in a tiny 10-by-10 room, walking to work, pulling my sleeping bag over my shoulders to try to stay warm, hanging out in the taverns, and wondering just exactly where it was that things turned south. Well, spring will come, there will be a new dog to train, and perhaps this year it will be six chickens instead of three. And, with luck, the rented garden space will be fruitful. Anyway, as I walk to work, Sirius is high in the southern sky, ever faithful.” ❯ Sallee Wade writes, “I was already a registered nurse when I began to pursue an undergraduate degree in psychology at Knox. That major made all the difference in how I view human health! Both Drs. Gary Isaacson and Gary Francois forever influenced my work and my private practice. During 10 years of hospital nursing, mostly in the ER, I completed a master’s in nursing and taught a while. But my real professional interest was in wellness and what helped people heal. I developed a fun private practice as a wellness educator, which I still conduct. Over the years, it included 20 years of massage therapy (because I love to do hands-on care), some private counseling, lots of stress management programs and classes for professionals and laypeople, and 30 years of teaching yoga—which I still teach locally two afternoons per week. I wrote a fun little book in 2010, The Twelve Disciples of a Wild Woman, which is available on Amazon, and—are you ready?—I fill in as guest Sunday speaker wherever I’m invited. I currently do that monthly at Unity Church in Quincy, Illinois. I also write a monthly column for our local paper, The RegisterMail, entitled “Life in the Soul Lane.” I’m working on a second book, Weeds & Wildflowers, which is a collection of tales from my own mystical mid-life change—and which I hope will help a bunch of women know they’re not going crazy! So, there you have it! I’ve never made a lot of money or achieved academic awards, but I have loved what I do, and don’t plan to retire any time soon.” ❯ Wendy Scherwat Ducourneau writes, “Last October, I joined Triton Swimming and Triathlon Team. Mondays through Fridays at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., you’ll find us in coached swim workouts in a great 50 meter, outdoor pool. (While I’m in awe of my triathlete teammates, some of whom have completed IRONMAN® events, there are no plans to join them in their special brand of craziness.) After successfully competing in U.S. Masters Swimming meets in November and December, it’s clear the health benefits and fun cannot be beat, so will continue for the foreseeable future. Anyone interested is welcome to join in the fun!” Class Correspondent: Wendy Scherwat Ducourneau wjsd@jps.net, Facebook Group: Knox College Class of ’72

1973 Class Correspondent: Nancy Bakos Hunter 5280 Easley Way, Golden, CO 80403-1161, 303-278-3163, n.hunter@platte.com

1974 Our class has been tracking down friends who graduated with us or who did not. Our search has shown results, and we couldn’t be happier to be back in touch with dear friends. If you are reading this and did not get the call for Class Notes, you are among the missing. Please contact the Alumni Office at records@knox.edu to let it know that you want to be included among the Class of 1974. ❯ Barbara Atwell Westerdale—a firsttimer for these notes!—moved to Denver right after graduation from Knox and never left. She writes: “I’ve worked as a geologist in the oil and gas industry off and on over the years. I currently work for the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. I spent part of December in Nicaragua with my daughter. I keep in touch with other Knox geology alums and Dewey Moore.” ❯ Pam Brockman ’75 teaches veterans, youth, the Hispanic community, cancer patients, and others how to manage stress, negative emotions, and the mind with the SKY Breath & Sahaj Samadhi meditation. Travels have taken her to Japan (for Rotary), Brazil (to teach), and many cities in the U.S. Pam will soon travel to India for the World Cultural Festival of the Art of Living Foundation and International Association for Human Values. ❯ Richard Heitman will spend this year in Roses, Spain, on sabbatical leave from Carthage College, where he teaches philosophy and classics. He is working on a book about mortality. ❯ Leslie Brooks received a wonderful book review from Midwest Book Review for her new book, Soul Writer: “Impressively well-written, exceptionally well-presented and organized, Soul Writer is an extraordinary read from beginning to end that is as insightful as it is informative, as thoughtful as it is thought-provoking. Very highly recommended for community and academic library collections.” ❯ Glenda Malone Bailey-Mershon is also an author: “In 2015, I went on a book tour with my novel, Eve’s Garden, including a delightful stop at the Knox FacultyAlumni Book Fair, where I saw old friends. This year, I acquired five grandchildren, so I am a happy woman.” ❯ Darryl Coburn went on a Caribbean cruise in September and to Vermont at Thanksgiving to be with his son, Alex Keefe ’06, who is the local host of All Things Considered for Vermont Public Radio. ❯ Kit Evans Parker writes that her youngest has just started college, and her eldest has his own apartment and job. She also says, “My husband’s job has taken us to Las Vegas; we sold our multigenerational family home; and we are adjusting to being empty nesters. I still teach and enjoy the outdoor recreational bounty in this part of the world.” ❯ Katherine Yamasaki—better known as Yama— retired from Parsons Corporation after 40 years and spends time reconnecting with friends, rediscovering her art, and taking in all that Chicago has to offer its senior citizens. “After years of working on corporate iconographics on

computers, I am trying to get back to freehand pen/pencil sketches on paper and acrylics on canvas. I’m pretty rusty—sad to say!” ❯ Bob Sahm lives in Albany, New York, where he works for the state comptroller. Recently, he went for a stress test as part of a physical but ended up getting a cardiologist and a quadruple bypass. “Oh my. All is well.” ❯ Jan Thompson—a.k.a. Thumper— retired from the Illinois Department of Human Services at the end of 2014 and enjoys retirement. ❯ Kathy Pilcher Brennan does stand-up! She does humorous writing and says that her “comedy influences include George Carlin and Spiro Agnew, with Erma Bombeck hanging around to keep the cardigan buttoned at least halfway: @brennan_kathy.” ❯ Ernie Buck was recently honored with a Knox Alumni Achievement award presented on Founder’s Day, February 19. “As a 38-year Texan, it was hard to think about visiting campus in mid-February, but I would love to see any classmates who are in the area.” He has also helped us find our friends: “I think John Fiedler is a pastor in the United Methodist Church in Dallas.” ❯ Bruce Rohwer went back to the 2015 Homecoming for the induction of the 1973 soccer team into the Knox-Lombard Athletic Hall of Fame. He was recently elected to the National Corn Growers Association Board of Directors and, this fall, joined the Hillary For America Rural Policy Working Group as a senior partner to help with developing ag and rural policy. ❯ Jim Mott also attended the ’73 soccer team’s induction ceremony. He was one of the team managers. He reports, “Most of the team made it back for the induction, and I enjoyed hanging around with them and reliving old times at Knox. I also was able to see Doug Wilson and Jorge Prats.” ❯ Dave Coons will retire in April and looks forward to being with his four grandchildren. ❯ Jane Altier Morrison is the corporate relations manager for the Oregon Humane Society in Portland, Oregon. She moved there in 1973. ❯ Roger M. Rosen writes to let us know that he received his bachelor’s degree at Northwestern University in 1976 and then went to UCLA School of Law and received a law degree in 1985. He is now a partner in a law firm in Santa Monica, California, where he practices real property litigation, business litigation, trust litigation, and inverse condemnation. ❯ Mark VanRaden says, “So long, D.C. area (home for 30 years). With spouse Lise Levie ’75, I now live in Ann Arbor, along with my daughter and son, Gwynneth VanLaven ’04 & Joel VanLaven ’96, and granddaughter. I just retired from the National Institutes of Health, and Lise retired last year. We’re still trying to plan for what’s next but are pleased at how much easier it is to get to Chicago and Galesburg!” ❯ We have learned of the death of two of our buddies: Bruce Raymond Patzer, 62, of Campton Hills, Illinois, on January 31, 2015. He was a band director in Newark, Illinois, and worked in the graphic arts field as well for R.R. Donnelly. His wife,

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Doug “D.F.” Hill ’77 and daughter Alycia took second place in their daughter, and son survive him. Jo McAnulty ’75, of Chicago, died on August 11, 1997, at age 45. She worked as a writer and ran her own catering business. After graduating from Knox, she attended the School of The Art Institute of Chicago. Class Correspondent: Monta Lee Dakin Littleton, CO, 303-979-9307, mld780@aol.com

1975

traveling. Mary Ann also volunteers and teaches geology, hydrology, and redwood ecology courses through an adult education program. She and husband Al have been married 31 years and have two daughters. ❯ When she’s not busy with her second-graders, Jenny Lisenby Lockington traps, neuters, and releases feral cats. As of last fall, she had taken 21 in to be ﬁxed and re-released! She says watching these kitties out her kitchen window is kind of therapeutic, like watching ﬁsh in a tank. She and husband Steve are also the proud parents of a black lab pup daughter, who is determined to get a cat to play with her some time. (No luck yet.) ❯ Sarah Boydstun Ross’s 2016 plans include a move back to Galesburg! Sarah has lived in the deserts of Arizona and the mountains of Montana and longs to return to the place where she began. So, for our next Reunion, she may even have room for some out-of-towners to stay for a day or two! ❯ Catherine Cox sends along her well-wishes from Tinseltown. ❯ Paula Ochs missed the Reunion because she and her husband were in Quebec City celebrating anniversary #25. Paula is involved with family therapy training and psychodrama training. ❯ Kathy Cummings Pearman couldn’t make it because, regrettably, “School doesn’t start here until mid-September, and it’s pretty much impossible for me to take time off around Homecoming time in the U.S. Guess I’ll have to wait till I retire!” ❯ Very sad news: Cindy Valek Mottl reports that John North had a massive stroke and passed away in mid-December. John was an attorney with Borla & North. Cindy, also an attorney, asks us all to keep the North family in our thoughts and prayers. ❯ Classmates Don Bowers and Ellen

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More than 35 of us attended our 40th Reunion and enjoyed getting reacquainted. Here are some updates from a few who couldn’t make it. ❯ Maggi Johnsen retired in November 2014 after working for Southern Company/Georgia Power for 32 years. “Now that every evening is Friday and every day is Saturday,” she volunteers with the Robert C. Williams Papermaking Museum and is learning to make handmade books, particularly those with vellum/parchment or wooden boards for covers. Maggi moved to Decatur, Georgia, last fall. ❯ Ken and Stacy Brown Drost said that although they couldn’t attend our Reunion, Ken still makes music in the northwestern suburbs of Chicago. Check out his latest band, Slim Pickens. ❯ In 2010, after 23 years, Nancy Knapp left her work in public health with Alaskan native tribes to begin work for the government of Lao PDR, where she served as a technical advisor for ﬁve years, monitoring and evaluating the use of funding from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. Last April, Nancy returned to Sitka, Alaska, and is now semi-retired. She likes to ﬁsh and bike and says she wants to lead three-week women’s bike tours to Lao PDR in 2016 “...only

for those seeking an unusual adventure in a very low-income, rural country with not many cars...yet. Sound nice?” Nancy celebrated our Reunion remotely in Portland with Debbie Dees Cadigan and Nancy Whorton Hurd. She often contributes to our Facebook page: https://goo.gl/p51EfD. ❯ Richard J. Burke keeps in touch with Mike “Coo” Wright, George Szostkowski, Jim Millhorn, and Mitch Baker ’76. “Mitch was co-counsel with me on a case in federal court in Denver that I argued to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in October. I have done class actions in the federal courts for almost 20 years and am not retired yet, but thinking about it a lot. Linda and I recently celebrated our 33rd wedding anniversary. I have two children, Lauren Burke ’07 and James (Missouri University of Science and Technology ’11).” ❯ Daniel Interlandi says, “Barbara Carava ’76 and I celebrated our 39th anniversary in August. We have two great boys; the elder just announced his upcoming nuptials next October. We reside near Annapolis, brought here by work 25 years ago. I retired seven years ago and have kept busy by being physically active, doing a five-year stint building sets and stage managing for a local professional theatre company, and volunteering for a regional chapter of SCORE. Barbara has taken a wellearned sabbatical from teaching yoga. She now takes art classes and produces some amazing charcoal portraits.” ❯ After 36 years as a research geologist for the National Park Service and U.S. Geological Survey, Mary Ann Madej officially retired two years ago but is still on emeritus status. She says she works when she wants and plays when the weather is fine, including sea-kayaking in north coastal California, hiking, camping, and

Sarah Kaull ’77, Ed Jepson ’77, and Rick Swanborg ’76 at Sarah’s 60th birthday celebration in July 2015.

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Sue Runyon-Davis ’77 and Pam Ord Newton ’77 at the 60th birthday celebration of Sarah Kaull ’77 in July 2015.

Class Knox respective age groups at the World Triathlon Championships in Chicago. Anne Eddy got married in November! A widower since 2013, Don has worked as an elementary teacher, Navy Supply Corps officer, and, for 30 years, with adults with intellectual challenges. Ellen Anne is a leading fibre artist, teacher, and author. She and a few friends literally re-wrote the book on art quilting, and her work is displayed around the country. Her website is www.ellenanneeddy.com. They combined both of their households, two greyhounds, one shih tzu, and a curmudgeonly cat into one “quirky” house in Galesburg. Don is also a writer, “now working on my seventh book of Christian historical fiction, set in Galesburg in the twenties.” If you’d like to read his work, e-mail frogsbah@ hotmail.com. ❯ Some news from classmates who DID attend the Reunion! Dave and Linda Nelson Langston just celebrated their 40th anniversary. Eldest son Eric Langston ’07 is on the Knox Alumni Council, following in Linda’s footsteps. Last year, Linda wrapped up her term on the executive committee of the National Association of Counties but still remains a local elected official. Dave is retired from Rockwell Collins but stays busy with his consulting business. In December, they became first-time grandparents. Linda writes, “I had a great visit with Amanda Roberts La Rosa in California.” ❯ Drew Debrey teaches management at Carl Sandburg College and is working on a doctorate. His two daughters are ages 14 and 21, and he lives in Rock Island. ❯ Jeanne Pankanin Leininger, who used to be your Knox Union Board organizer, retired in 2006 and now organizes monthly events for Harper College retirees. She also organized our 40th Reunion and a Utah ski trip in January for 45 people and is generally addicted to organizing. She is trying to learn blues harmonica, but her two Chinese Crested dogs aren’t big fans so far. Jeanne took a 12-day motorcycle trip around the Great Lakes last summer with three other biker chicks from her church gang and is “living large” in retirement. ❯ Vickie Silldorff Welsch also loves her retirement after 30 years with AT&T. She lives outside Kansas City, Missouri, and enjoys her three granddaughters. She substitute-teaches part-time but has cut WAY back. ❯ Gary Pokorn, currently a professional sales trainer in Colorado, wrote an insightful essay on our Facebook group page reviewing his Homecoming experiences. I enjoyed Celia Burris Godsil’s comment that it “is certainly a mixture of throwback and present, space and time, when visiting and interacting on campus.” ❯ Dr. Gwendolyn Webb-Hasan wrote that she “truly enjoyed the time we spent together” at the Reunion. Gwen is an associate professor/director at Texas A&M University. ❯ A welcome surprise attendee was George Szostkowski, recently returned to Chicago after a trip to China with his wife. ❯ Last but not least: Sheri Sprung Morrison and husband Jerry have been together 37 years, married 31 years, and live in Mountain View, California. Sheri is very active in her synagogue, enjoys singing and rooting for their

high school robotics team, and travel. Son Evan is an aerospace engineer in Seattle. Sheri has shared her Reunion photos at https://goo.gl/photos/CyQibBHigH4wV8G86. Class Correspondent: Jeanne Pankanin, jeanne.knoxfriend@gmail.com

1976 Well, our 40-year Reunion approaches. Please mark your calendars for this event on October 14-16, 2016. Tom Perille has already e-mailed me indicating he will lead dance lessons for all ’76ers in attendance… ❯ I have received several notes from classmates. Harriet Luden Menachem spent a month in Israel last year meeting her new grandson and is very excited for the upcoming arrival of her second grandchild. Harriet remains quite busy with her flower business in the Chicago area. ❯ I also heard from Carey Adamson, who recently left his position with Colonial Life and is now exploring other opportunities. He and wife Marilyn enjoy traveling, and Carey remains in contact with several members from the FIJI house. Carey’s son and daughter are well, and he looks forward to seeing fellow classmates at the upcoming Reunion. ❯ Bill Wickart reached out to let me know he lives in Hillsborough, Oregon, and frequently corresponds with Barb Epstien. Bill worked at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, where he met wife Deb. He also taught at Indiana University before moving to the Hillsboro area. One of his children is a Knox grad. Bill currently works with Intel and also enjoys doing cooking, laundry, and dishes. His travels have been extensive, including trips behind the Iron Curtain. ❯ Frannie Ott Colby dropped me a note and is thrilled that all of her children are out of college. She recently retired after 32 years of teaching but is still involved as a substitute. Husband Brad Colby continues to work as a benefits consultant, and they are both quite involved in travel and looking forward to our upcoming Reunion. ❯ Ann Murray Smith also reached out to say hi and feels we need more e-mails/notes from Knox ’76ers who are baristas, librarians, cabinetmakers, and participants in civil disobedience. ❯ Speaking of Rob Thornburg and Graham Woodward, I sure hope they attend our 40-year Reunion. ❯ Mike “Fritz” Fricilone now has five grandchildren. He’s a Will County commissioner and very active in Will County issues, which he feels are quite similar to running the finances at the TKE House. ❯ I also heard from Ron Woodruff, who thanked me for my efforts with the column over the years (thanks, Ron). ❯ Yours truly, over the holidays, saw Peter Monahan and John Santos ’77. John has been an economics professor for many years, and we had a very fun time getting reacquainted. So mark your calendars, book your hotel, and plan on attending the festivities in G-burg in October! ❯ Breaking news. Our 40th Reunion committee has formed and is working hard. Classmates serving include Randy

Oberembt, Ellen Jones McNair, Ann Feldman Perille, Steve Varick, Horace Flournoy, Keith Maskus, Sally Everett Etheridge, Kevin Hastings, Tom Farrell, Mike Godsil, Mary Marselus Rosic, Tammy Walker Myers, Rick Swanborg, Bob Erffmeyer, Barb Epstien, Denise Buntin and me. Details will soon follow on a great weekend being planned. Make your plans now to join us! Class Correspondent: George M. Pearce 1114 Forest Avenue, Wilmette, IL 60091-1655, 847-256-5968, george.pearce@hklaw.com

1977 Greetings, all. I am excited to say that I have retired from ICEX, Inc., founded by Rick Swanborg ’76. It was a great 16-year run, and I will miss my clients and co-workers but not the day-to-day grind. My husband and I have taken off on a six-week tour of Australia in January to get this new phase started! ❯ Roger Strukhoff chaired the Cloud Expo in Santa Clara, California, which was focused on the “internet of things.” Roger is executive director of the Tau Institute, performing information and communications technology research. ❯ Doug “D. F.” Hill and daughter Alycia took second place in their respective age groups at the World Triathlon Championships in Chicago. Doug seeks “world domination” in 2016. From Homecoming 2015, he reported: “The ’73 soccer team was inducted into the Hall of Fame, and I got to spend time with Fernando and Nancy Zajicek Lulli ’78, Jorge Castanos, Charlie Hiatt, and Craig Steele ’76. He planned to return in January for the alumni basketball game with father Dean Hill ’52, who started in the ﬁrst ever game played in the Alumni Hall gym 65 years ago! ❯ Ken Lomasney ’76 writes: “In December 1973, I joined the ﬁrst Knox trip to the Soviet Union, organized by Professor Fiedorow. I had never been out of the country before, and it was such a dramatic experience that, 15 years later, I found myself with a part-time apartment in Moscow and working with the Ministry of Foreign and Economic Relations. Overall, my career has allowed me to travel all over the world and to experience every continent but Antarctica—but I’ve been been invited to join an upcoming expedition there in January aboard a Russian research ship. I wish I could share the impact that the 1973 trip had on my life with Professor Fiedorow, who passed away in 2013.” ❯ Sad news: Paul Brauer ’78 passed away of a heart attack while hunting on October 26, 2015. He and wife Debby lived in Tulsa and have three sons, Daniel, Phillip, and Matthew. Paul was a FIJI at Knox, as well as a Friend of the Ghetto. His Knox classmates remember him for his quick and fun-loving sense of humor, his JV basketball prowess, and his attendance at the annual Phi Delt/FIJI golf tournament in Illinois. ❯ Sue Runyon-Davis and Pam Ord Newton connected in Chicago at Thanksgiving, where Sue and her

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“I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of Japanese language ability I service project at a stormwater management site near the mountains, learning permaculture techniques and sometimes engaging in heavy manual labor. ❯ Kim Shkapich ’78, my freshman roommate, owns Lola’s Local Food Store in Wellfleet on Cape Cod. Kim was director of the Architecture Archive at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art for 20 years prior to moving to Wellfleet in 2004. ❯ Steve ’76 and Amy Eichengreen Andrews are close to retirement and spend a lot of time in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, especially when the snow starts flying. Eldest daughter Melissa is engaged to be married in June, and daughter Rachel gave birth to their first grandchild recently. ❯ Mike Godsil got in touch: “I’m in my 30th year teaching photography and photojournalism in the studio art and journalism programs at Knox. During spring break in March 2015, I took eight advanced photography students on a nine-day, half-credit photography trip to the American Desert Southwest to photograph Anasazi Indian ruins and desert landscapes (including in Monument Valley). This summer I will lead a similar trip for alumni and friends of the College. During summer 2015, I traveled to Tokyo to visit my now-elderly host parents, with whom I lived for 10 months while I was there on the ACM Waseda University program in 1973-74. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of Japanese language ability I retained; I was still able to get around Tokyo alone, ask directions, order in restaurants, etc. From Tokyo, I traveled to Singapore for a week of sightseeing and photography before returning home. I’m pleased I will have the opportunity to teach in the new art and art

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husband visited their daughter. ❯ Bill Silver retired at the end of 2015, allowing the fourth generation to take the helm of the family business, Akrochem Chemical Marketing. He remains active in the business community as president of the Summit County Safety Council and guiding member companies in loss control under Ohio Bureau Workers Comp outreach programs. He serves on the Boy Scouts of America executive board, chairing the spring fundraiser dinner auction, sings tenor (for the 26th year!) at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, and will begin work on his seventh Habitat for Humanity house in January. He also looks forward to more hiking, biking, golf, and maybe tennis! ❯ Tad Daley ’78 writes: “Many of us know that the chair of the Hillary Clinton presidential campaign is John Podesta ’71. What many don’t know is that the press secretary for U.S. senator Bernie Sanders is Mike Briggs ’73. Pretty cool!” Tad, who used to write speeches for Congressman Dennis Kucinich and U.S. senator Alan Cranston, also noted that he and I attended John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights, Illinois, named after the ﬁrst anti-nuclear writer—and Tad himself wrote a book about abolishing nuclear weapons called Apocalypse Never. Things have a way of coming around! ❯ Rick ’76 and Lisa Lockhart Hada enjoy retirement in sunny Albuquerque, New Mexico, where they moved in 2004. They keep busy with many volunteer activities, including serving as crew for hot air balloons during the past 12 seasons of the International Balloon Fiesta! Lisa is a docent at the Albuquerque Zoo and also attends classes in a master naturalist program. Rick works on a

Cindy Boniﬁeld Babington ’81 (center), husband Pat ’81 (left), and Jun Adachi ’81 enjoy a soccer game together at Depauw University, where the Babingtons work.

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history building, slated to open in 2017, for at least a few years before I decide it’s time to retire.” Class Correspondent: Sarah Kaull 52 Ober Street, Beverly, MA 01915-4733, 978-810-0181, skaull@icex.com

1978 I start with very sad news. Our dear classmate, Paul Brauer, died suddenly after a heart attack in October. There are not enough words here to express our sorrow or to capture what a great guy he was and all that he did in his all-too-short life. He is survived by his lovely wife, Debby, and three great sons. After Knox, he earned a master’s degree in chemical engineering, built a successful company in Tulsa, sold it for a tidy sum, and then became its general manager for the acquiring company, Core Lab Instruments, until he retired last year. He was active in his church and in Rotary International and several charitable organizations. There was such an outpouring of fond memories when the shocking news circulated in October, and each of us learned of things he had done to help others when we were all at Knox that we had not realized at the time. We will keep him in our memories. ❯ Meanwhile, on a lighter note, I can report that my only daughter was married in November, and I am still alive to tell about it. Enough said. Once we got through that, the economy went straight into a nose-dive, so you can get a sense of the economic impact on my finances. ❯ In other news, Tad Daley recently reminisced about the old Knox days while at an Earth Wind & Fire concert at the old Howard Theatre in the historic Shaw neighborhood of the District of Columbia. ❯ Mary Kay Luby Donnelly still teaches at St. Hilary School in Chicago (sixth grade reading, math and language arts; fifth grade math and reading; and seventh grade reading). Her daughter is working on a Ph.D. at University of North Carolina and won an award at an international conference in Amsterdam in June. Mother and daughter have planned a great trip together to attend and take in Amsterdam, Bruges, and London! ❯ Bob Castle, also reminiscing, reports that, 40 years ago this fall, a motley crew of Knox students, including Kevin White, Rick Kalvin ’77, Deb Raphael Castle ’77, David Stone ’77, himself, and others visited the then-Soviet Union. Professor Momcilo Rosic led the trip, and all Knox students returned to the U. S., despite their extracurricular activities. Bob reports that his former law firm, Oppenheimer, has merged with Fox Rothschild, where Bob continues to practice management labor and employment law in Minneapolis.Julia Jones Morrison reports that she and Joe Morrison ’79 welcomed two granddaughters in December, Delaney and Alex, born nine days apart, to sons Mark and Mike, respectively. Faith Miller has done a better job than most of us in keeping in touch. She and Kate Littrell went to Asheville, North Carolina,

Class Knox retained.” —Mike Godsil ’76 on his recent trip to Tokyo and had a great time. Also in November, she got together with former classmates Kathy Blaze Brown, Deborah Malk Hawkins, and Valerie Ulrich Roesti in Chicago. More recently, Faith drove to Pittsburgh to see the opening night of the Bruce Springsteen River tour. She discovered him during freshman year and has been following him ever since (having been to well over 150 concerts and hoping for many more). ❯ Last, but not least, Darrell Merschak came to the rescue when I begged for more class gossip by leaking news that he was going to make a considerable donation to Knox College to fund a new state-ofthe-art law library facility of some sort, subject only to some final arrangements. It turned out, however, that the final arrangement involved picking the correct numbers for the Powerball lottery ($1.4 billion at the time). Alas, it does not appear that Darrell or Knox will be the beneficiaries. But that doesn’t mean we stop dreaming, dear classmates—so go out there and create some news and don’t forget to report it to me. And, if you are lucky, don’t forget all us little people you knew before you made it big. Class Correspondent: David Bates 174 Haversham, Houston, TX 77024-6248, 713-722-0815, dbates@gardere.com

1979 Well, classmates…not much to report in this issue. I haven’t heard from anyone lately except for the usual suspects. Norm Hillner made sure to contact me on a few occasions. First was the thumping the Cardinals took from the Cubs in the postseason. Then there was the weekend in November when downtown St. Louis was mobbed by Chicago goons as the hated Blackhawks beat the Blues on Saturday night and the loathsome Bears embarrassed the Rams on Sunday. This was NOT a good fall for the Gateway to the Midwest. ❯ I do have some very sad news to report about a good friend and fraternity brother. Paul Brauer ’78, a FIJI brother, passed away suddenly while hiking with his family in Oklahoma. Many of us spent some great quality time with Paul at the last FIJI/Phi Delt golf outing last June in Chicago. He will be greatly missed. ❯ Well, that’s about it…if you think about it drop me a line. We are all getting to the age where we can give updates on joint replacements and regularity. I’d love to hear from you. In this day and age, it’s easy to contact me. Look me up on Facebook, text me (not while you are driving), e-mail me, write me a letter, or call me. All are acceptable. Class Correspondent: Brian Cox 21 Briarcliffe, Collinsville, IL 62234; 618-406-7014; Bjcox5257@att.net Knox College Class of ’79 on Facebook

1980 Class Correspondents: Roy Brandys 1818 Feather Nest Drive, Cedar Park, TX 78613-1414, brandys@barronadler.com Joe Moore 1431 West Fargo, Chicago, IL 60626-1810, 773-848-5796, joe@joemoore.org

1981 Ed. note: Due to the overwhelming number of updates we received, we have had to save a few for the fall to come close to our maximum allotment of words. Thanks, everyone. ❯ Dave Hoffman writes, “It was fun to catch up with folks at our 25th, and I plan on attending our 35th. I have lived in Northern Colorado since we graduated and have been glad to see classmates Tammy Wilson and Gay Heckenkamp Kelly join me in this part of the world. I work at Colorado State University as an IT project manager and get to be involved in some interesting projects. Universities are an interesting place to work after 30 years in the private and nonprofit sectors. Leanne and I look forward to not only celebrating our 35th anniversary next year but seeing many of you at our 35th Reunion.” ❯ Dean Conterato reports that he now works with Radiation Oncology Consultants, covering much of the Chicago area as well as the Northwestern Medicine Chicago Proton Center. He and Ellen Glick, whom he met at Rush Medical School, have been married 27 years. Son Ari is in a Ph.D. program in anthropology at University of California, Davis, while son Jesse is applying to medical school and son Jake has just applied to college. ❯ Nolan Hetz reports that all is well in the Wisconsin Northwoods, but “battling Obamacare woes and having as a surgeon to forcibly accept the nonsensical rationing of healthcare is pretty sickening for my affected patients and my staff.” ❯ Chris Daniels reports that he entered grandfatherhood. “With four kids, I have set the over/under at 10 grandchildren total in the future.” ❯ Cindy Bonifield Babington works as the vice president for admission and financial aid at DePauw, and husband Pat is a professor of kinesiology. “I have had the opportunity to run into several Knox alumni in my work. Mary Kaull’s two children attended DePauw, and we have had some good times in Greencastle over the past several years. Anna Wilson Flynn ’82 has one daughter enrolled at DePauw and another, a senior, who paid a visit as a prospective student this fall. Dave Workman ’80 walked into a session that Pat did with some first-year students while Dave was dropping off his son. I also visited with Bob Szyman ’79 one day when he brought his son for a visit. Pat and I both spent some time with Jun Adachi this fall. We were lucky enough to get reacquainted with Knox when daughter Kate Babington ’14 attended. Son Kyle lives with his girlfriend in Greencastle and works at DePauw as a land-

scaper. I hope to see many of you next fall for our, dare I say it, 35th Reunion.” ❯ Tracey Thayer Mohr married her best friend, Wilson Mohr, back in 1989. Daughter Lauren was born in 1990, and son Spencer was born in 1998. She graduated from Loyola with a master’s degree in human resources in between kids. They moved to St. Charles, Illinois, shortly after they were married and have lived there ever since. Unfortunately, Wilson passed away from cancer in August, shortly after their 26th anniversary. “We had a terrific marriage, and I miss him so much, but I have the kids and plenty of activities to keep me going. I’m a human resources director for Tyco, a global fire and security company. I am lucky enough to work out of my home except when I’m on the road. When I’m not working (and sometimes when I am, love that remote status), we head to our lakefront cabin in Minnesota. Upcoming are trips to Bryce Canyon, the Grand Canyon and Zion, and to Banff and Lake Louise. I’m also remodeling the house to get it ready to sell when my son graduates. Who knows where life will take me then? I hope to make it a grand adventure, whatever that might look like.” ❯ Warren Krup writes, “We’ve finally entered the Grandpa era. My son and his wife had a boy in August; my third daughter delivered a boy in December; and my first daughter is due in February 2016. So we’ve gone from no grandchildren to three in six months. Many heard of my battle with kidney cancer in August 2014. Surgeons removed a tennis ball-sized tumor, along with my entire right kidney. No chemo or radiation followed, and I was so happy about that. I approached it with a positive attitude and worked to regain strength and ran a four-mile race just three months after the surgery and a half-marathon the following spring. I’m not as fast as I used to be, nor as strong. I sleep more and am okay with that. My in-laws live with us; my father-in-law’s health has declined (congestive heart failure), and we have been able to comfort him during what will be his final days/weeks/ months.” ❯ Tom Woolwine reports that 2015 was a great year for his family in Kansas City. “Son Larson is a senior at Kansas University, majoring in finance. He served as captain of the Marching Jayhawks drum line and is the drummer for men’s basketball band. Wife JoLetta continues to volunteer in the community and keep us healthy. I look forward to 2016 because we reach three big milestones: Larson will graduate. JoLetta and I will celebrate our 30th anniversary. And I will complete 30th year at DeMarche Associates as a consultant. Crazy.” ❯ David Schwartz writes, “Truth be told, we’ve been pretty lucky in life (so far). Ruth Ellis ’83 and I live in Tel Aviv. Ruth is a remote consultant for a bio-products firm. I’ve been in the State Department for most of my career and currently head up the consular section at our embassy here. We have two magnificent kids (whose kids aren’t?). Our 26-year-old is in Boulder living the good life. Our 23-year-old is in Moscow learning

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Melissa Harju Vos ’91 is a study project manager at Abbott/AbbVie, Russian. We went to Moscow in late November to see her, experience winter, and check out one of the world’s great cities.” ❯ A quick update from the Nicolaus: My wife and I celebrated our 32nd anniversary in September. Two days later, our oldest son (29) got married to a wonderful young lady I introduced him to 10 years earlier when they were both freshmen at Mizzou (I knew her family). My daughter (27) is now the office coordinator/event planner for a mid-market ad agency in Chicago, her dream job. My 22-yearold son is in his final year (I hope) at Columbia College, studying audio acoustics. My 19-yearold son graduated from my alma mater (Loyola Academy) and is a freshman at Miami University in Ohio, studying finance. My wife celebrated her 34th year as a nurse, mostly in the ICU at Glenbrook Hospital. This summer, I celebrated 13 years as a partner in an IT consulting firm that has grown to more than 20 team members. With no need to take 400+ photos each weekend at my youngest son’s football games, I enjoy more free time and hope to see many of you at our 35th Reunion in October. Class Correspondent: John Nicolau 930 Huckleberry Lane, Glenview, IL 60025-2302, 847-657-6311, j.nicolau@comcast.net

1982 To all: The death of Mary Filosa Brown has been a shock to all of us. Everybody knew Mary. Most importantly, everybody loved Mary! She was a collector of people. People ﬂocked to Mary for the infamous 15 minutes of chat. During that time, the problems of the world were solved.

OLD PHIS — REVISIT THE BOWERY PARTY Homecoming 2016 Saturday, October 15, 4:00 p.m. Wilson House (formerly Panhellenic House) corner of South West and West South Streets Contacts: Mike Boyd ’85 773-793-1753 mike@ajhudsonspublichouse.com Mike Lenz ’89 618-398-4496 mike.lenz@toyota.com

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

That smile, the laugh—and, of course, a Mary hug—and you were set for the day. For many of us, that first meeting with Mary was the beginning of a lifelong friendship. ❯ We all have different memories of Mary. I am asking that you focus on those memories and dig deep into your pockets to help us fund the Mary Filosa Brown Memorial Fund for Community Service. In the upcoming months you will receive additional information about this memorial fund. Remember—no gift is too small. ❯ Now for the notes: Diane Williard Jaskolka: “Mark and I both retired this year, sold the house, cars, and all of our possessions, and will move to Boquete, Panama. All visitors welcome!” ❯ Mary Wylie: “Son John is a sophomore at Northwestern University and president of his fraternity, Beta Theta Pi! He spent his Christmas break in London! Too much fun! Hope you are well and enjoyed the holiday season!” ❯ Kelly Norton Warner: “I work at the U.S. Geological Survey as chief of water quality investigations. Just finished a chapter for a book on integrated groundwater management. Gave a talk in Rome, Italy, for the International Association of Hydrogeologists and was able to enjoy a few days in Florence with Lizzy Warner ’13. She is working on an M.S. in sustainable engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology; son Drew is a senior at DePauw University. One more semester, and I get that no-tuition pay raise!” ❯ Mike Kraynak: “Thank you to my Knox family for all the thoughts and prayers, gifts, and flowers! They have helped my family get through a terrible time in our lives! God bless you all!” ❯ Lastly, I have the pleasure of announcing my new Knox correspondent partner: Chris Bohm Gavlin. Please make her feel welcome! ❯ Hugs and Kisses, Sharon. Class Correspondents: Sharon L. Schillereff 7780 W 38th Ave., #404, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033, 303-885-7185, Sschil7470@yahoo.com Chris Bohm Gavlin 4246 Howard Ave., Western Springs, IL 60558, 708-246-1419, cgavlin@gmail.com

1983 Many may already know that Rick Brown “lost my best friend, conﬁdant, lover, and wife,” Mary Filosa Brown ’82, in August. “We had a storybook life together that began at Knox and many memories to cherish. By the time this goes to print, I hope many will have heard of the establishment of the Mary Filosa Brown Memorial Fund for Community Service. It is an endowed fund to support the work of the Kleine Center for Community Service. The Fund will memorialize the endearing relationship between Knox and Mary, and it illuminates her generous, giving spirit.” Our deepest sympathies to Rick, his family, friends, and all who were touched by Mary’s kindness, spirit, sense of humor, warm smile, and…her tremendous laugh. ❯ Werner Holz reported that he “will break bread with Dan Hrozencik, Ed Kemper ’85, and Tony and Dee Dee Kinzie Tedeschi ’85.

This is one year later than planned but gives us more to talk about.” ❯ Patrick Fleming’s daughter, Sonya Fleming, “is a freshman at Knox this year. She wants to major in creative writing. She enjoyed her first term very much.” ❯ Steve and Linda Mugnaini McMillan ’81 “celebrated our 32nd wedding anniversary last month! (I’m not really sure why I was so lucky to snare her for my wife.) Eldest son Daniel turned 30 in November and is a doctor of physical therapy in Eugene, Oregon. He graduated from Washington University’s School of Medicine in 2014. Middle son Nicholas is 26 and a singer/songwriter/musician currently in New Orleans. To make ends meet, he is a cook in a great little diner. And, last but not least, is little Ella, who is 19 and a waitress at a nice restaurant in Evanston (where we live)… trying to figure life out. Linda has been counting down the days, sort of, until she can retire from Baxter International, where she’s been employed for the last 27 or 28 years. She is the director of financial systems at their corporate headquarters in Deerfield, Illinois. We both still love seeing live music. We will travel to Park City, Utah, in February to ski with other Knox grads—Dean Smith ’81, Rusty and Natalia Brennan Strong, and David Rosenbacher ’84. Other Knox grads we see with some regularity include Joe Flanagan ’85, Cliff Piper ’87, Jason Rahal ’88, Barry Petersen ’85, Tom MacMillan ’81, Joan “Bunny” Bruner Weber ’81, Chris Shillestad ’81, and Sharon Spellman ’80. I left Whole Foods in July to help my mother care for my father, who had a slowly worsening case of Alzheimer’s. He died October 9 after an amazing run of 89 years…32 of which were retired!!! (He retired when he was 57 years old!)” ❯ Margaret Davis and husband Kristoph Klover released their 13th CD last year, Make We Merry!, which they recorded with their band, Broceliande. This year, their primary focus was work on Snow White—The Mirror’s Revenge, an original play for which they are writing, producing, performing, and recording the music. Margaret continues to work playing therapeutic harp in San Franciscoarea hospitals with Healing Muses and has had several commissions this year for her original works of illuminated calligraphy. ❯ Gail Golberg Eisner’s store, Pumpkin Moon, recently celebrated its 20th anniversary. “Hard for me to believe. It’s like having a grown child. I’m feeling that too, as Jennifer, my eldest, is applying to colleges now, and Julia is a freshman in high school. Still in Oak Park and busy running two stores and managing life.” ❯ In December, Karen Burich Levin, Peggy Fletcher ’86, Alene Lesniak Ackerman ’85, Florence Giannola Botbol, Kathy Schurr, Karen Longawa Dugard, Ann Elfline Davie (all the way from Australia), Mary Bohaty Osborne ’84, Chris Bohm Gavlin ’82, Aleida Villasuso Vekony ’86, Lenore McCarthy, and I met for a mini-Tri Delta reunion. We had a wonderful time catching up—some of us hadn’t seen each other since graduation. We toasted the memory and spirit of

Class Knox overseeing clinical trials for Parkinson’s disease.

1984 Abdellatif Lahlali just published War Stories From My Father, the culmination of many years of research in North Africa, Europe, North America, and Asia. It is based on a lifetime of conversations with his late father, Master Sergeant Mohamed Ben Salem Lahlali, who was a soldier in the French Army from 1940–1955, ﬁghting with the Allies in World War II and in the French conﬂict in Vietnam. It is available through Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com. Class Correspondent: Valerie Jencks 300 E. 5th Avenue, Suite 235, Naperville, IL 60563, 630-579-8070, knoxcollege84@gmail.com

Class Correspondents: Margaret VerKoulen Lynn mvlynn@comcast.net Jane Davis jedavis_ill@hotmail.com

1986

application process. Details on my career can be found at faculty.unlv.edu/pwerth/.” Thanks for writing, Paul, and ﬁlling us in! ❯ Feel free to send notes and/or e-mails my way. It’s always fun to receive them and then be able to share! Class Correspondent: Darcy Turner 520 Colony Woods Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, bonetbien1@nc.rr.com

Class Correspondent: Susan Bantz 315 East Walnut Drive, Waterville, KS, 66458-9069, 563-554-9213, bibliophile@knoxalumni.org

1991

1987 Class Correspondent: Lisabeth Simms Belman 12701 York Mill Lane, Clarksburg, MD 20871-4034, 301-972-3751, lisabeth1208@verizon.net

1988 Class Correspondent: Gayle Pikrone Richardson 1220 Crestview Drive, Batavia, IL 60510-1180, gayle.richardson35@gmail.com

1985

1989

Debbie Dehm is now manager of Bird of Paradise Spa at the Queen Kahumanu Mall on Maui. ❯ Maryann O’Brien writes, “Not much to report on my end. I still work in Shenzhen, China, at Buena Vista Concordia International School. We are in the midst of U.S. accreditation and international baccalaureate certiﬁcation this year. Busy implementing a new STEM program and creative arts program. On a leadership note, I have launched a quality initiative to fuse the Western faculty with Chinese staff to create a better working climate. Fun, fun, fun.” ❯ And fellow New Yorker Laura Young says,“Hello from the Big Apple. I am sorry I missed our Reunion. I was actually back in Galesburg, as my dad (a WWII vet) passed away in May, and he grew up in Knoxville. The family had a nice meal after the funeral at the Packinghouse, where I worked when I was at Knox. After Besançon, France, I came to NYC and worked on an acting career with some fun speaking parts as a nurse and prison guards on many daytime soap operas. And I did a lot of background work on ﬁlms. When acting didn’t work for me, I returned to school and got a master’s in social work at Columbia. Now, I am so happy to report that I work for myself in my private practice setting. I work with a lot of couples; I run groups; and I work with individuals. Recently, I added a wonderful marriage and family therapy intern to my practice, as well as a canine co-therapist named Copine! Check out my website at www.LLYoung.com and let me know your thoughts. By the way, does anyone have any info on Maura Shea ’84, who was also a Knox theatre major? If you are in NYC, please let me know. Big Hugs!”

Class Correspondent: Mia Jiganti 1850 W. Cortland, Chicago, IL 60622-1035, 773-278-0814, mjiganti@prodigy.net

1990 While I didn’t end up attending Homecoming, I’ve heard lots of positive comments and folks seemed to have a good time! Go Siwash, Class of 1990! ❯ Ben Shakman sent a photo of David Murphy and himself at the 2015 NLCS. “This photo was taken at the tailgate party that he and Bill Rieckhoff ’89 threw for local clients with the Varsity Motor Coach. Here’s the backstory: About a week earlier I had posted a picture on Facebook showing the tickets I was handed at work. Dave was one of many to comment on the picture and invited me to the tailgate party. What a neat concept! If anyone ever ﬁnds themselves in a position to attend one of their parties I highly recommend going.” Thanks, Ben, and what a fun picture! You both still look like you did while at Knox! ❯ Paul Werth also wrote, “Having received the most recent Knox Magazine, I realize that I have not kept in very good contact with my class correspondent over the years. So please accept this as a long-overdue update. I am currently professor and chair of the department of history at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, which I joined in 1997, and I am the author, most recently, of The Tsar’s Foreign Faiths (Oxford, 2014). For six years (2009-15), I served as editor of the journal Kritika: Explorations in Russian and Eurasian History. Since 1994, I have been married to St. Petersburg native Elizaveta Zoueva. Son Daniel, now a senior in high school and a budding composer, is in the depths of the college

Christine Purtell Deblock writes, “We finally have a middle schooler. We feel lucky that our daughter got a spot at the Jane Goodall Environmental Middle School, a charter school in Salem, Oregon. It’s very small, just 99 students. The focus is heavy on science, so she studies conservation biology, along with regular science. The kids take several overnight field trips out into nature every year and do service projects, such as removing non-native invasive plants. She loves it. Perhaps a prairie burn is in her future. The other two kids have done well in elementary school. Husband Johnny and I continue to do volunteer work, though I do sometimes ponder how to get back into paying work after 12 years out of my field of teaching ESL. I already have reservations for Homecoming—can’t wait!” ❯ From Melissa Harju Vos: “I have started my 19th year working for Abbott/AbbVie. I am a study project manager, overseeing clinical trials for Parkinson’s disease. Son Taylor is a senior and plans to attend Columbia College Chicago this fall, and daughter Zoe is in sixth grade and enjoys art, sewing, and science. I live in Jefferson Park, Chicago, with husband Adam and the kiddos.” ❯ After 46 years living in downtown Chicago, our family moved to the northern suburb of Highland Park. I can’t believe it, but I really love the

SUBMITTED

Mary Filosa Brown ’82 with champagne ordered by Sharon Schillereff ’82 from Colorado. We vowed not to let time go by before our next event. ❯ If you did not receive an e-mail requesting information, please contact me so we can update our 1983 class list. Class Correspondent: Laura Thompson Sears 132 Heath Place, Westmont, Illinois 60559, 312-899-1660, lsears@gouldratner.com

Ben Shakman ’90 and David Murphy ’90 tailgate at the 2015 National League Championship.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

“I have come down with a twang in my voice and a sudden urge to 2016 Young Alumni Achievement Award Here’s one clear measure of Rachel Abarbanell’s success in Hollywood: she was unable to attend last year’s Alumni Achievement Awards ceremony because of a scheduling conflict with the Hollywood Awards season; as president of production at Lynda Obst Productions, she played an instrumental role in the making of the critically acclaimed Interstellar. Abarbanell credits her Knox education with her film and TV career; an internship studying industrial film helped her identify a passion for filmmaking, and a connection from Bob Misiorowski ’66 helped her find her first industry job— an internship with Millennium Pictures. How did you decide to pursue filmmaking as a career? I discovered film and TV work as part of the ACM Chicago arts program, when I took an internship in industrial film. My sponsor, Professor Stephen Bailey (who was then associate dean of the College), suggested there was a passion there that he hadn’t seen before and asked if this was something I had thought about making a career out of. That led me to apply for a post-baccalaureate fellowship in film studies and a Richter grant. That PETER BAILLEY ’74 year of study turned into an internship, and then a job in L.A. in film. I believe if it hadn’t been for those experiences, I wouldn’t be working in film and television today. What are a few of your proudest accomplishments? The most recent pilot I worked on, Good Girls Revolt [about the struggle for gender equality at a newsmagazine in the late 1960s], is one of the few projects I have ever worked on that was rewarding from beginning to end. It not only tells a great story and is fun to watch, but has relevant things to say about equal pay and sexual politics in the workplace. I’m also proud of the show because of all the women who worked on it. It’s very rare to have a largely female crew, and almost every major player on this show was female. Another experience that has been very rewarding is helping others achieve success. I found a director we hired for an episode of the first season of Helix [a SyFy series about a potential lethal pandemic disease] that the studio fell in love with; he was subsequently hired as the showrunner for the second season. I also believe that, as a woman in entertainment who had to have help from others to get where I am, it’s my responsibility to help others. When I can place a friend or intern in a job and they blossom in that role, I am so proud.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Alumni Achievement Award Winner

Rachel Abarbanell ’02

change and the new experiences. More outdoor activity, nature, and a whole lot less trafﬁc. Some things even bring back a nostalgic memory of a quieter life in Galesburg. I continue to work on Ergo Impact, my ofﬁce product line, which I’m launching to provide support for people who desire a healthier workplace via standing and moving while working. Hopefully, by the next update, I’ll have more to report. Keep in touch with your own new updates, please. Class Correspondent: Jonathan Sheinkop 260 Cary Ave, Highland Park, IL 60035, jonathansheinkop@hotmail.com

1992 Kristen Waicosky Niedner has moved with her family to Phoenix, Arizona, where she continues to work as an emergency physician. ❯ Glenn Waddell Jr. writes: “I had the chance to meet David Loewy in 2015 while passing through Sacramento on the way to a Giants home game. It was great to catch up and share some good times with him. On the personal front, I am in the second year of a Ph.D. in STEM education at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), and just left my position as a math teacher at the high school level to join the UNR faculty as a master teacher in the brand-new NevadaTeach program. I recruit and teach new math and science educators. What a crazy, busy year 2015 has been. I look forward to 2016!” ❯ Jen Goldsberry Quandt writes: “It’s winter, and I am off, oh the glory of the off-season!!!!! Got together over Christmas break with Gen Fitzgerald Schulz and her girls, and then Gen and I rang in the New Year together with my hubby and my buddy, Tim, who lives with us. (Jen is a softy; my buddy went through a bad divorce and needed a place to stay...I love, what can I do?) I do believe we have planned a Chicago-area Siwash get-together at the end of January.” Class Correspondents: Celine Gura Matthiessen 6417 Marlar, The Colony, TX 75056-7119, 469-384-1805, celmatthiessen@hotmail.com Tammy Thorsen Ragnini 912 S. Summit, Barrington, IL 60010-5057, 847-382-4022, rragnini1@yahoo.com

1993 Ben Hirby: “We are still in Madison. Still have two kids: Reed (10) and Oliver (7). We spent several weeks in Le Puy en Velay, France, last summer. This March, Sage will lead an educational travel tour to Morocco, and I’ll come along for the journey.” ❯ Mitra Ghaboussi: “I’m a massage therapist, artist, writer, and singer, and I’m on my higher path...how do I know? Synchronicities!” ❯ Sreedhar Yedavalli, class rodeo clown: “I moved to Plano, Texas, in July 2015 to work for Samsung in Richardson, just south of Plano. Rebecca Gillan Ballard and husband Joshua were instrumental in my transition

Class Knox buy and wear chaps.” —Sreedhar Yedavalli ’93 here from the suburbs of Chicago. Along the way, I reconnected with Sarah Reynolds ’95 and husband Brian, as well as Kristin Warlick Hoffman ’95 and husband Steve (both in the Tulsa, Oklahoma, area). During my initial interview back-and-forth (I drove), I stopped to see Brian Gunter ’92 in St. Louis and Julie Scannell ’91 and daughter Lucy in Washington, Missouri. Since being in Texas, my sons have had a number of opportunities to play with Rebecca’s boys. I have grown fond of their youngest boy, Miles, and have met a few more of the Gillan clan since I’ve been in North Texas. I have come down with a twang in my voice and a sudden urge to buy and wear chaps. I am still looking for the perfect Archie Bunker chair, and a 10-gallon cowboy hat to add to my collection. Hope all is well with everyone! 2018!” ❯ Me: I have been enjoying hanging out with Sree and his family here in Texas. Spotting him on his commute to work, sporting a bowler cap, while I am on my way to drop my older boys at school, is lovely. Class Correspondent: Rebecca Gillan Ballard rballard@knoxalumni.org

1994 Knox Magazine currently seeks a new Class Correspondent for Class of 1994. Please contact Pam Chozen, the class notes editor, at pachozen@knox.edu.

1995 We had a great showing at our 20th Reunion this fall, Class of ’95! Remember that you can also stay connected in our Facebook group, simply called Knox College Class of ’95. ❯ Christopher Murrie is in the final months of shooting and post production for his third film, Kubo and the Two Strings. It is the biggest and most complex film he’s cut. He couldn’t be more proud of it. It opens worldwide on August 19! ❯ Andrea Miklasz still lives in Park Ridge, Illinois, and is very slowly but surely progressing toward an M.A. in community psychology at Argosy University. Her goal is to work with children and adolescents who either need to build socialization skills, resolve anger issues, or just enjoy the time and release, using music therapy in groups with hand drums. Otherwise, dual-diagnosis mental illness/substance abuse adults. Slow and steady wins the race, so she’s taking classes slowly to maintain her sanity. It’s very cool that son Luke Bechtel, who is a sophomore in high school, is president of the school radio station, WMTH, the entertainment writer for Southwords, and has become a popular, sought-after advanced TV/film writer and director, as well as a photographer. Luke was recently honored at a Kiwanis Club luncheon for Achievements in the Arts. We can’t imagine where all this comes from, given that his father is Craig Bechtel ’94. They are stoked that he turned 16 on January 16, 2016. What a combination! Andrea also plays drums

regularly in her church’s contemporary praise band. ❯ Christopher Tong has relocated to Sparks, Nevada, for family reasons. He continues to work (remotely now) for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Ames, Iowa. He is grateful to fellow Knox alums Glenn ’92 and C.J. Moore Waddell ’87 for welcoming him to the Reno-Tahoe area. Class Correspondent: Nicole Havelka revnhavelka@gmail.com

1996 Class Correspondent: Kathryn Dix Biallas 1418 East Colter Street, Phoenix, AZ 85014, 602-944-7466, kathybiallas@gmail.com

1997 Brenda Mueller Butler looks forward to an educational tour of Puerto Rico in May with eldest son Jonas (11) and his ﬁfth grade immersion school classmates. Anyone have Knox conexiones en PR? ❯ Andrew Johnson writes, “Last spring I completed a master of arts in literature at Northwestern University. I still teach high school English in Chicago Public Schools—and do my best to steer promising young minds in Knox’s direction!” ❯ Becky Richardson Shadlich writes, “I had a baby girl, Emilia, back in April— not sure if you knew about that one!!! Otherwise, a move to a new city, my son starting kindergarten this year, and a year off work, only running my own small business, pretty much sums up my 2015!” ❯ The Mika family has enjoyed an eventful end to 2015, and we look forward to a solid 2016. My 17 years in the public schools enjoying major holidays and seasonal breaks has spoiled me as I near my one-year anniversary with Apple. There have been myriad changes to help our family adjust to traveling for work. We purchased a house in Plainﬁeld, Illinois, over the summer and moved in just as the new school year started for our son and daughter. NOTE: I say “we” loosely, seeing as Rachel not only worked with the realtor to put an offer down on the house, but also orchestrated the move while I was teaching across the country. Not only is she amazing, but Rae also celebrated her 10th year co-owning a therapy clinic in Oswego, Illinois. Class Correspondent: Josh Mika 6619 Mountain Ridge Pass, Plainfield, IL 60586-2844, jrmika@gmail.com

1998 Greetings from Kip Conwell, your new class correspondent. I’ve been busy, and I’ve got the grey hair to prove it. With two little kids, a job as a lab manager, another job with Aerial Dance Chicago, and sneaking in a little physical activity, I’ve discovered exactly how little sleep a middle-aged human requires...but we are happy, and these are the years to be busy, so we push onward! Recent special moments include the issuance of a patent

and selling out dance performances featuring my wife as the star. If you are on Facebook, connect with the Knox College Class of 1998 group! ❯ Old friend Angela Schultz tells me that she continues to work against intimate partner violence, first with Anjie Rosga at Knox (with whom Angela still stays in touch), then at a nonprofit in Portland for 10 years, through law school, and now in her position leading the pro bono legal work at Marquette Law School, where she is the dean for public service. Angela and Gus Reed (Brita Reed Mutti’s ’01 brother) had a son, Fergus, in 2007, and now share their lives together in a little house in Milwaukee. ❯ Kelli McDonough writes, “I work as a clinical researcher at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, studying pediatric sepsis. I also have a position in the athletic department working football, basketball, and softball games. (It’s really just an excuse to go to the games without having to buy tickets.) I still enjoy playing softball in the summer and have two dogs, Linus and Riley.” ❯ Katie Sommers says, “I have two kids, a six-year-old daughter in first grade, who does great in school and plays basketball, soccer, and baseball; and a 3.5-year-old son who is excited to start 4K in the fall and plays soccer and t-ball. I also have two dogs: Lola, a 16-year old yellow lab, and Lucy, a four-year-old coonhound; one cat, Comet, a 15-year-old snuggler; one aquatic frog, Tundra (don’t ask); and two beehives. I enjoy gardening in the summer and cross-country skiing in the winter, but mostly just try to keep up with the kids! I’m the state hazard mitigation officer for the State of Wisconsin. I also worked part-time at a plant nursery from spring to fall 2015. My kids and I continue to spend time with my parents, Larry ’66 and Joelle Nelson Sommers ’67.” ❯ Karen Rosenkoetter Nussbaum writes, “I am married to Erik Nussbaum ’93, and we have a 16-year-old cat, Charlie. We live in Chicago. I work for a law firm by day and sing as much as possible the rest of the time. I am a member of the Aestas Consort, Grant Park Chorus, and William Ferris Chorale, and am a soprano section leader for the Chancel Choir of the First United Methodist Church at the Chicago Temple (where Erik is the director of music and the arts). I also do periodic demo recordings for World Library Publications and GIA (music publishers) and am a frequent recitalist. Last year, I worked with composer Gwyneth Walker to premiere a cycle of songs called A Thousand Prayers.” ❯ Tiffany Felde Rahn says, “A lot of life has happened since ’98, but here you go...I worked for STA Travel (the company focused on study abroad and adventures for young people) for six years, enjoying many international trips and living in a variety of places around the U.S. In 2004, I settled in Chicago, switched modes, and started working for Artsonia.com, an online kids art museum and comprehensive resource for art educators worldwide, founded by a friend of mine. My responsibilities as education director keep me busy, but I’m thankful for a

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Shalini Krishan ’03 currently works as a senior editor with Speaking position that allows me to work from home, coach my son’s basketball team, and have time for family and friends. This year, my husband and I will celebrate our 10-year anniversary. Pete’s a physical therapist who visited Knox as a prospective basketball player (when I was a junior—and no, I didn’t meet him on that visit!) but ended up at Marquette University. We live in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, and have two kiddos (Wesley 7, Haylee 5) and two dogs. We love to spend time outdoors, travel, watch Marquette basketball, and just try to keep our busy life as simple and uncomplicated as possible. For the many teammates and friends who remember my parents… ‘Toni K and Super Dave’ are great! I treasure all the times since ’98 (though few and far between) that I’ve been able to spend with friends on the golf course, vacations, mud runs, and everything in between! Sarah Lewis Gish, April Owen-Faoro, Maddie Stapleton Fay, Wendy Salger Spizzirri ’99, Rhonda Moravek Meeker, Kris Nelson, and Ben Van Vlerah...I expect you to give your own updates in the next issue!” ❯ Kathryn Moakley says, “I moved to the Pacific Northwest after Knox and haven’t found a reason to leave. I did find time to go to law school, of all things, and then practiced law and ate really great food from carts in Portland. I now live in Eugene and work for the University of Oregon School of Law. My husband and I have two amazing sons, about whom I cannot say enough good things. I continue to eat great food.” ❯ Michael Vanlandingham sends these updates. “I currently live on Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma. Lake life is great. Mistie, my wife of 13 years, and I have three daughters, Brianna (14), Makenna (11), and Corinna (4). Like me, my daughters enjoy music and singing. I work for Oktaha Public Schools. I have had the distinct pleasure of having two works of poetry published in the last few years and am now writing my first full-length play. I still own the family farm in Arkansas and plan to retire there. I am an avid reader and am often told that I need to do something with my books, as I keep filling up every available space in our home. Mistie is disabled and can no longer work, so she spends her days quilting and researching genealogy.” Class Correspondent: Kip Conwell kipconwell@gmail.com

1999 Thank you to all who sent updates to share. I wish it was all joyous, but I have received some truly sad news. ❯ Dipa Sarkar reports, “With great sadness, I would like to inform the Knox community that, on November 8, 2015, we lost Desmond Fortes ’00. Desmond succumbed to a tragic accident at sea, while vacationing in Portugal. He was a real family man, a good friend, a thorough gentleman, a citizen of the world. A biology major at Knox, he went on to complete a master’s in urban and regional planning at University of Wisconsin–Madison. He

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

later worked as an environmental and social officer at FMO, the Dutch development bank in the Netherlands, where he lived with wife Femke Brouwer, son Luca (2), and infant daughter Nina. Desmond loved nature, adventure, and, above all, was passionate about making the world a better place for the rest of us!” Thank you, Dipa, for sending this! Those of us who knew Desmond will miss him terribly! ❯ In other news: new baby arrivals. Lucas McIntosh reports that Andrew Wiemers recently had twin girls with wife Paola. Their names are Mia and Nina, born October 14, 2015. Allison Wenk Maki and husband John welcomed their second child, Ryan Christian, on November 15. He joins big brother Adam. Courtney Crandall and Bridget Gotz expect their first child, a boy, any day now! ❯ News from Mike Bailey: “I have taken a new position with the same company I have worked for the last 12 years, Schulman IRB, which allows me to work remotely from home. As a result, my family has been able to relocate to Central Illinois this year. We now reside and work out of the Peoria area, which allows us to be close to our family and friends in all parts of Illinois, and, of course, Knox!” ❯ Jason Kesselring has worked as a community pediatrician in an underserved population for the past 9 1/2 years. At different points during this time, he served as the chair of pediatrics for Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation and chair of pediatrics at Gateway Regional Medical Center. He continues teaching many healthcare professionals in his clinic, resuscitating babies at the hospital, and devoting his spare time to his family: wife Sonia Hibberd Kesselring ’00, Andrew (10), and Allison (7). ❯ Erin Severs shares: “It has been an exciting past couple years for husband Kenney and me. Just this past summer, we bought a 6.75kw solar panel system that is generating all our electricity—no more dirty energy or electric bills for us! We are still getting our little organic farm up and running and have all kinds of wonderful projects planned for what will be our 20 acres (we currently own 10 and closed on the other 10 in January). We also added two new family members, German Shepherd sisters Anika and Greta, who are our pride and joy! Professionally, I was promoted to assistant professor two years ago and was granted tenure last year. In addition, with a colleague, I just finished the final edits on a book chapter, “Empowering Faculty: A Shared Governance Model,” which will be part of a book SUNY Press will publish next fall. I also just found out that I have been awarded a teaching fellowship that will start next year. This three-year position is a great honor that will involve leading some of our internal professional development at the college and a course load reduction. Lastly, I have been working on numerous writing assignments (content and review) for McGraw-Hill and have enjoyed contributing to products used by students across the country. On a different note, I am working on designing and implementing a gender studies A.S. degree

program at the college—hopefully, I will have some exciting updates on that project here in the next few years!” ❯ Sharwari “Sherry” Badola shares that she gave birth to a baby girl, their second, on New Year’s Eve 2014. She lives with her family in Santa Clara, California and works as a UX designer. ❯ Jessica Jurgens Salsbury reports: “Donald and I will celebrate 15 years of marriage in January, and son Joshua turns eight in April. I am in my second year of creating plays for the 365 Women a Year: A Playwriting Project. I got to see Bree Elrod Novak ’00 at a playwriting event in Kansas City and wrote a small skit with her in it. That was a blast. My day job is recruiting interpreters for Propio Language Services in Overland Park, Kansas.” Class Correspondent: Valerie Saks Kihslinger S3042 W. Salem Ridge Rd., La Farge, WI 54639, 608-268-6903, vsaks@hotmail.com

2000 Class Correspondent: Kristie Wagher Scarffe, D.C. 6985 Merriman Road, Garden City, MI 48135, 734-402-2225, kgwscarffe@gmail.com

2001 Class Correspondent: Allison Honaker allisonhonaker@gmail.com

2002 Class Correspondent: Jennifer Wreyford 1850 Bassett Street, #626, Denver, CO 80202, 813-482-4112, jwreyford@gmail.com

2003 Katie Nelson Cation and husband Michael had a son, Graeme Archer, on May 26, 2015. She writes, “It was a big year for us! We relocated to Austin, Texas, from Gainesville, Florida, in May 2014. Michael works in marketing and communications for a healthcare company, and I still teach elementary art. I was named Teacher of the Year last year! We bought our ﬁrst house in April and welcomed Graeme at the end of May.” ❯ Bruce Steinke writes, “After serving on the Cook County Sheriff’s Police for six years, and nine years total with the Sheriff’s Department, working as the Sheriff’s Police Training Academy’s report writing instructor, a DUI enforcement specialist, and gang crimes investigator, I am happy to announce that I was promoted to sergeant of police in September 2015. I am eager to begin the next phase in my service to the citizens of Cook County as a sergeant in the Markham district. Wife Sarah Van Niewaal Steinke ’04 has kept busy, splitting her time working as a high school chemistry teacher, D.A.R./C.A.R. member, and volunteering for Schools Count Corp. We can’t believe our daughter Mckenzie will start kindergarten in fall 2016!” ❯ Brynna

Class Knox Tiger Books in New Delhi.

2004 Kelly Anicich writes: “I’m still a teacher in a selfcontained autism classroom at a therapeutic school in Chicago. Partner Raquel and I recently

moved in together and are getting married this September.” ❯ From Tim and Renae Skogen McIntosh: “2015 brought the McIntosh family some completed home improvements, a brand new puppy (golden retriever named Butters), and a new job for Tim at University of Missouri System leading executive recruitment and launching a higher education recruitment consortium. Renae does an amazing job to keep all her kids (Timmy included) happy and healthy while working as pediatric clinical instructor at University of Missouri, as well as a PICU nurse at the University of Missouri Children’s Hospital. Henry Wade, 7, is a gifted student in second grade; Missy Lou, 5, is well into her year in kindergarten; and Charlie Knox, 3, tries valiantly to keep up with them both each day.” ❯ Jenna Boonstrom Crane says, “I still work PRN as a speech therapist, but my husband and I spend most of our time caring for our two little ones. Isaac, who has spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) Type 1, had a couple of scary medical events and helicopter rides this fall. But he is alive and well, and we look forward to another Christmas with him!” ❯ Stef Turner moved in with delightful boyfriend Jason, gaining two cats, Zeus and Harvey. Stef, Jason, and Zeus are very happy with the arrangement, but Harvey remains skeptical. Stef has also accepted a new job in quality improvement with Health Choice Integrated Care in Flagstaff, Arizona. ❯ Jasmine

Jobe, with husband Doug Clark, son Jack, and dog Scout, bought her first house! This summer, Jazz will graduate with an MFA in creative writing from the University of Central Arkansas. ❯ Maggie Claudy writes, “My daughter, Samantha Joy, was born on June 23, 3015.” ❯ Adam Barnes reports, “Over the past year or so, my wife and I both accepted new jobs in the Milwaukee area, built a home, and moved to Franklin, Wisconsin. Amy and I have been married for five years this May, have a two-year-old son (Parker), and expect a baby girl in March. We are very active; I still try to play basketball and soft(base)ball, but I find it hurts a little more nowadays. We are excited about our growing family and can’t wait to see the Knox basketball and baseball teams come to town.” ❯ From Emily Bell, “I married Sean Patton on May 2, 2015, in Tucson, Arizona, and I now have three stepchildren. I also started a position as assistant professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of Arizona.” ❯ Marcy Wiget writes, “I got married! October 6, 2015, on a beautiful day in Chicago. I’ve also changed jobs and now work at the University of Kansas in the Spencer Research Library.” ❯ “I had a baby girl over the summer. Her name is Atlas.” – Lisa Casarrubias Class Correspondent: Susan C. Vitous Johnson 1312 Iles Avenue, Belvidere, IL 61008-1407, susanvitousjohnson@yahoo.com

SUBMITTED

Barnhart Blodgett married Case Blodgett (“not a Knox grad but I love him anyway”) on September 19, 2015. She writes, “It truly was a perfect day made even better by all who were there, including several Knox alumni. Sue Blafka Forcash, Amanda Perkins Walden, and Monique Roberts served as bridesmaids. Other Knox grads in attendance included my father, Gary Barnhart ’69; brother Brett Barnhart ’96; cousin Amanda McCoy Luthy ’88; and friends Steve Bachta, Tim Biagini, Dustin Milliken, Kevin Walden ’01, Geoff Ziegler, and Joy Thiel Ziegler ’01. We didn’t get a Knox picture (we were too busy celebrating!), but I can assure you they were there and a good time was had by all.” ❯ Kimberly Van Winkle was also married September 19, 2015, to Brian Spires. In attendance was Mindi Pampel Ritchie ’99. Kimberly continues to work as the assistant supervisor laboratory technician at Select Sites in Ohio. ❯ Erin Schwarz and husband Robert welcomed their second son, Theodore Schwarz, on October 10, 2015. ❯ Jacque Corry graduated December 20, 2015, with a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences with an emphasis in virology from The Ohio State University. She writes, “My defense work has just been accepted in the Journal of Virology and will be published in the February edition.” The article is titled, “Prevention of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Attachment Protein Cleavage in Vero Cells Rescues Infectivity of Progeny Virions for Primary Human Airway Cultures.” ❯ Lucy Ainsworth was married December 5, 2015. She writes: “My husband is named Alexis Bellet, and he is originally from Grenoble, France, but he also lived in England and Germany for several years. It’s actually kind of a crazy story—Alexis and I met last August in Hamburg, Germany, where my sister lives and where Alexis was ﬁnishing his master’s program. I had coincidentally just quit my job in July to take a year off from the working world, and so when we talked about how to be together, the natural answer was for me to come live in France for my ‘sabbatical’ year! So I moved to Lyon in January 2015, and I’ve just been learning French, drinking wine, and eating cheese ever since.” ❯ Shalini Krishan writes, “Just a quick note to say that I currently work as a senior editor with Speaking Tiger Books in New Delhi, India, and have been part of the admin team at Qashti, an organisation for and by queer women and trans people who were assigned female at birth for the past three years. Rachana Rao Umashankar ’04 visited me this summer, and we spent a couple of weeks reliving our days at Knox.” Class Correspondent: Allison O’Mahen Malcom 8134 Gridley Avenue, Wauwatosa, WI 53213-3049, allison.o.malcom@gmail.com

Zack Stephenson ’06 and Mike Boettcher ’05 hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in October 2015.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

“Mark Zuckerberg visited my class in 2016 Young Alumni Achievement Award Though she grew up in Rockford, Illinois, today Katie Bell feels at home in Brooklyn. She moved there in 2011 after completing an MFA at the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and was recently honored with a fellowship from the New York Foundation for the Arts in recognition of her compelling artistic vision. Still, her Knox roots run deep. “Knox’s art faculty and students opened up new doors to me. My fellow classmates were critical and supportive; I still hear their voices in my studio now.” This year, she’ll undertake two solo exhibitions, one at Locust Projects in Miami, Florida, and a second at Chicago’s Harper College. See more of her work at katiebellstudio.com. How did you choose Knox College for your undergraduate education? I was interested in going to a school that was diverse, yet intimate. I wanted to meet people from all over the country and the world. I did not have a speciﬁc program or area of study in mind; instead I wanted to try everything. Knox seemed like the perfect place to learn more about myself and my interests. PETER BAILLEY ’74

Did it live up to your expectations? Yes. Knox provided a community of people who encouraged and challenged me. I was pushed to new thoughts and ideas through Kelly Shaw’s Gender and Women’s Studies courses. I made lasting friendships on the Knox volleyball team. I traveled abroad to London and Florence through the ACM program, really solidifying my interests in art and architecture. And the sense of community within the art department among the faculty, my fellow majors, and me was inspiring. My dialogue and friendship with many of them continues. Without the support and encouragement of my professors, I would have never applied to graduate school. Their presence in my studio gave me the courage to believe in my own work. Going to RISD drastically altered my future; the declaration to myself that I am an artist allowed me to go all in. What advice do you have for current Knox students? Try everything. Take many risks, meet as many people as you can, travel abroad, take a class you know nothing about, go out to Green Oaks, visit the rare books collection, participate in a protest, fall asleep in a tree, play a prank on your roommate, and create a commotion on campus. This is your place of exploration, and it is only in retrospect that you will understand its importance and impact.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Alumni Achievement Award Winner

Katie Bell ’08

Kimberly Van Winkle-Spires ’03 and Brian Spires— September 9, 2015 LEFT TO RIGHT: Kimberly Van Winkle-Spires ’03, Mindi Pampel-Ritchie ’99.

2005 Jon Betts writes, “It may not be Around the World in 80 Days, but a cross-town move with three kids under five and a neurotic schnoodle is plenty of adventure! In addition to finding the perfect house for our crazy family, we’ve gotten to spend time with many of our Knox friends, including meeting up with Jacob ’04 and Sienna Watson Beard ’06 in Bloomington; enjoying beers with Aimee Neilan ’13, Dave Rahofy ’03, and Kyle Alvarez; participating in a marathon with Kim Kreiling ’07, a Thanksgiving 5K with Seth Kopf ’04 and current Knox student Miranda Corbett, and a soccer tournament with Sam Thomas ’13, Cyril Ramathal ’04, and Dave ’07 and Sarah Wallen Connelly.” ❯ In September 2014, after eight wonderful years in Boston, Ben Gildehaus and wife Janice moved back to Ben’s hometown of St. Louis. Ben is now a supervisor at BJC Behavioral Health, managing a team of case managers who serve the needs of youth and their families. He tells us that Janice likes her new gig counseling college students at St. Louis University. They also bought a house in February 2015 and feel more settled in everyday! ❯ Ashley Steinsdoerfer Gottlieb reports she continues to plan events for the University of Chicago, but accepted a new position within the university last July. She now works within the Harris School of Public Policy and thoroughly enjoys the challenges of building this new role and the Harris events office. ❯ Dan Lieberman writes, “I’m still happily married with two very large 18-monthold sons, and work with Ben Maddox at TiVo in Alviso, California. In addition, I have avoided all criminal charges relating to my last place of employment.” ❯ Sahil ’07 and Emilie McManus Kalghatgi welcomed their first son, Simon, on August 4. ❯ Emmie Barford Strassberg is halfway through her maternal fetal medicine fellowship at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pennsylvania. She also plays cello with the Bloomsburg University Symphony when she

Class Knox October.” —Jon Gripshover ’06

Brynn Seibert ’01 and Jim Baker—September 26, 2014

Marcy Wiget ’04 and Charles Huggard—October 6, 2015

FRONT ROW: Rory Parilac ’01. MIDDLE ROW (LEFT TO RIGHT): Meghan Rutledge ’01, Katie Holz-Russell ’01, Kerry Mindeman ’01, Jim Baker, Brynn Seibert ’01, Jen Maceyko ’02, Jessica Brumley Crockett ’02, Ward Crockett ’99, Sarah Wetmore ’01, Gabriel Patti ’00.

LEFT TO RIGHT: KC Flaker ’04, Allie Beale Cascio ’04, Marcy Wiget Huggard ’04, Charlie Huggard, Sera Stack ’03, and Tiffany Satterfield ’03.

BACK ROW: Steve Holz-Russell ’01, Karl Kooistra ’01, Matt Mayes ’93, Will Boast ’01.

can ﬁnd the time. ❯ Roberto Vargas became the research librarian for humanities and interdisciplinary studies at Swarthmore College in October. His daughter is almost two, and he and his wife expect another baby girl this March. ❯ As of last December, Susie Walton works as a clerk in the probate and family court, having left private practice when she moved to Worcester, Massachusetts. She married Evan Bradley, a resident at UMass, on November 7. They welcomed a new addition to their family in May—a dachshund named Otto. Class Correspondents: Marissa Parkin moeparkin@gmail.com Ashley Steinsdoerfer Gottlieb 815-245-3648, agsteinsdoerfer@aol.com

2006 Sarah Brookings Connor writes, “I married Patrick Connor on June 18, 2015, with both Luella Williams and Tim Peterson in attendance! I transitioned away from my private counseling practice in Atlanta and moved to Birmingham, Alabama, after our wedding. Patrick and I have settled into married life, and I’m settling into a lifetime of having the name ‘Sarah Connor,’ with a lifetime of Terminator references to follow—wouldn’t have it any other way!” ❯ Jon Gripshover writes, “I got a mention in VICE magazine for my work at San Quentin in an article about the program I run there. We also got mentions in USA Today (a video of our graduation in December) and the Daily Dot (in-depth coverage of our program in the scope of a troubled criminal justice system). Also, Mark Zuckerberg visited my class in October.” ❯ In 2015, Dana Johnson graduated from Concordia University in Chicago with a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction. ❯ Donnie Forti and wife Megan moved to Sycamore, Illinois. He works at Northern Illinois University as a web expert with the university’s creative services team and the National Association for Black Culture Centers.

Megan is an English as a Second Language teacher in the Meridian School District in Stillman Valley/Monroe Center, Illinois. ❯ Kyle ’05 and Kristina Anderson Alvarez welcomed a son, Henry Knox, in June 2014. ❯ From Kate Langridge: “I was accepted, along with five other artists, to an international art residency in France hosted by the Maryland College Institute of Art. The residency took place in the small village of Lehon in Brittany, France, and lasted for two months. The participating artists were featured in the local newspaper and had the opportunity to exhibit their work together in a group show. I was fortunate enough to have one of my paintings purchased by the Abbaye Saint Magloire de Lehon for its permanent collection. The art residency is called the Alfred and Trafford Klots International Program for Artists; learn more at and more can be read about it here: https://goo.gl/PFrJEI. I also had a wonderful time exploring France for the first time.” ❯ Jason and Allison Beale Cascio ’04 are still in Chicago. They just had a baby, Jack Albin Cascio. Jason is in his third year of medical school, and Alli has taken some time off to be a mom. Life is good. ❯ Kaye Goldthwaite Longo and husband Matt welcomed their son, Benjamin Gabriel, on October 26, 2015. Kaye continues to work as a financial project assistant for an environmental consulting company. They live in Lowell, Massachusetts, and love the historic downtown. ❯ Leanne Lilly writes, “I took a sidestep in my career and left primary and urgent care veterinary practice for a behavior specialty internship at the University of Pennsylvania. There, I have been part of a partnership between Francisvale Home for Smaller Animals and Penn Vet, whereby I provide educational seminars, training of cats and dogs (and people!) and behavior management for the residents. When I’m not on the beautiful grounds there, I see behavior cases at Penn Vet in Philadelphia, round with students, and read entirely too many papers. I hope to start a residency in July for another three years of

‘paid’ academia in veterinary behavior medicine.” ❯ Rachel Navarre is finishing up her dissertation in government at the University of Texas at Austin. She and husband Jeremy welcomed a new addition to their family; Caleb Navarre Hammett was born October 6, 2015. ❯ Ashley Palar recently began working at the Washington State Department of Early Learning, where she coordinates connections and partnerships with the variety of early learning regional coalitions, advisors and programs. ❯ Sarah Kilch Gaffney writes, “2015 was a big year for me. I left nursing school, started an amazing position doing brain injury advocacy, and had 12 essays published. In October, I finally made it out to Seattle to visit Christin Datz and got to see Brian Marienfeld as well. Daughter Zoe recently turned five and heads to kindergarten in the fall.” ❯ From Ann Hernandez: “A little over a year ago, I moved to Washington, D.C., to work for the Association of Science-Technology Centers, a global nonprofit that supports science museums. I enjoy traveling across the country for my job and occasionally running into Knox alumni in the city when I am home. It is fun to see how many Knoxies work in museums and related informal education organizations. Outside of work, I have been blessed to keep up with several Knox friends, including the now-married Sylvie Davidson and new puppyparent Katelyn Mazman.” ❯ Justin Loepker got married on April 11, 2015, to Angela Voorhis in Fairview Heights, Illinois. The ceremony took place in the engine house where he serves as a lieutenant in the fire department. Other Knox alum in attendance were Ryan Meier ’07, Matt Armitage, and Becca Drummond. ❯ Megan Gamble says: “Hi, mom!” ❯ Aleza Berube and partner Justin Sitarz expect a baby boy this May. ❯ Rachael Dean writes, “I have an internship in international education at the University of Connecticut, and I will graduate with an M.A. from School for International Training (SIT) Graduate Institute in May 2016! I’ve enjoyed my time in New England, especially taking time to visit with

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Matt Andersson ’08 completed a Ph.D. in sociology at the University

Molly Snook ’10 and Joseph Kozlowicz ’11—July 11, 2015 LEFT TO RIGHT: Jeff Wickman ’12, Kevin Box ’12, Nate Beck ’13, Zak Kahn ’11, Kaylin Maanum ’10, Kevin Cole, Megan Funk ’12, Eric Ballard ’11, Patrick Dooley ’11, Ben Fitzpatrick ’08, Oliver Horton ’12, Grace Fourman ’11, Erica Stringfellow Tully ’08, Mike Prentice ’08, Rosemary Ibis ’08, Matt Schmalz ’08, Alex Nimmer ’09, Jimmy Thornton ’11, Joe Kozlowicz ’11, Molly Snook ’10, Sean Kraus ’09, Hannah McMahon ’11, Spencer McNeil ’10, Julie Bychowski Horning ’10, Kristin Miller ’10, Mike Callahan ’09, Dave Brankin ’12, Kate Barrett ’12, Andy Glass ’12, Stephanie O’Brien ’08, Jack Marchese ’12, Lola Copeland ’11, Kevin Wickman ’09, Cassidy Bires ’10, Patrick Herlihey ’09, Nish Dittakavi ’08.

be an assistant county attorney in the Criminal Division of the Hennepin County Attorney’s Ofﬁce.” ❯ Heather Simpson Lynch and husband Mike welcomed their ﬁrst child, Eliana Audrey, on October 15. ❯ I married Sean McDaniel on New Year’s Eve in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Kyle and Penny Stein Buchman ’09 and Sarun ’01 and Maggie Claudy Teeravechyan ’04 made the trip and braved the cold to celebrate with us! Class Correspondent: Megan Rehberg 220 Shroyer Road, Dayton, OH 45419, 262-909-8784, megan.rehberg@gmail.com

SUBMITTED

Sarah Kilch Gaffney and her adorable daughter. Sarah has been published in several magazines and websites this past year, so I encourage you to read her beautiful writing!” ❯ From Zack Stephenson: “2015 was a busy year. Our second daughter, Elsa (named after her great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother), was born in January. Her elder sister started preschool in September. In October, I hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu with Mike Boettcher ’05. The year 2016 doesn’t look like it will be much slower. After ﬁve years in private practice, I will head to the public sector. Starting February 1, I’ll

The wedding of Kevin Foerster ’10 reunited old friends. Left to right: Percy Lee Bromby II ’10, Kevin Foerster ’10, Sam Magnuson ’10, and Clayton Besong ’10.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

2007 The work of Donielle Augustson has been selected for the Fourth Biennial of Fine Art Photography, opening in Berlin in October 2016. She hopes she can make it there for the gala opening. ❯ Johanna Blume is still the assistant curator of western art, history, and culture at the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis. She celebrated her ﬁveyear anniversary with them last summer, and just published her ﬁrst book with them. Blake Little: Photographs from the Gay Rodeo looks at the work of Los Angeles-based photographer Blake Little and his work documenting the gay rodeo circuit in the American West. ❯ Sarah Ellis and Andrew Meador ’10 got married this year at the Barn at Harvest Moon Pond in Poynette, Wisconsin. They had a blast with their Knox crew: Megan Larsen, Meagan Kay ’08, Annie Lawrence, Sarah Koenig, and Brian Starr ’10. “We even had cans of PBR to take them back to the good old days,” Sarah reports. They have lived in Madison, Wisconsin, for a couple of years with dog Jeff Bridges and think the beer and cheese is worth the terrible winter for sure. ❯ Josh Franklin married Cheyenne Cortez ’10 in Milford, Ohio, on June 1, 2014. Josh and Cheyenne moved to NYC so she could begin her four-year OB/GYN residency. He published his MFA thesis through Amazon, a short story collection called Bridge Jumping. Last fall, he started law school at New York Law. ❯ Bill Mayeroff observes, “The musical Avenue Q (a favorite of many Knox alums) asked the question ‘What do you do with a B.A. in English?’ Well, if you’re me, you ignore it entirely, apparently. I’ve given up journalism and started classes to become a professional dog trainer. But don’t you dare suggest I will be a ‘dog whisperer’ like Cesar Milan. Cesar Milan is a waste of oxygen whose training techniques are borderline abusive at best (and VERY abusive at worst). I’m all about Victoria Stillwell, but I digress. Anyway, I’m still in Chicago with my dog, Chester. I’m not married, and I have no kids, which seems to put me in the

Class Knox of Iowa and is now a second-year postdoctoral fellow at Yale.

Sarah Ellis ’07 and Andrew Meador ’10—September 4, 2015 LEFT TO RIGHT: Meagan Kay ’08, Brian Starr ’10, Annie Lawrence ’07, Sarah Koenig ’07, Drew Meador ’10, Sarah Ellis ’07, Megan Larsen ’07

Andie Allison ’08 and Greg Leibach ’08—June 27, 2015 FRONT ROW (LEFT TO RIGHT): Jenny Golz Reidl ’08, Pam Wagner ’08, Jessica Strache Brandis ’08, Greg Leibach ’08, Andie Allison Leibach ’08, Jessica Howard ’15, Chris Pogue Allison ’78. MIDDLE ROW: Maureen Cole Beishir ’08, Leah Heister ’08, Kate Moon-Raess ’10, Bill Allison ’72, Joyce Tucker Allison ’72, Nancy Kenney Schwartz ’72, Claire Knowlton ’11, Michelle Sims Wynne ’92. BACK ROW: Tim Beishir ’08, Cory Bonstead ’04, Jordan Raess ’10, Meg Kennedy Templeton ’07, Dudley McCarter ’72, Jenna Finley Young ’08, Kelly Ricketts ’13, Dave Wood ’72, Katie Drummond Bonstead ’04, Evan Massey ’74, Brad Middleton ’08, Reed Allison ’00.

minority of Knox alums of my age. I work at a small, no-kill animal shelter and enjoy life more than I ever did when I was working as a journalist. So I got that going for me, which is nice.” Adam Nader works as a doctor in the ﬁeld of cardiology in Miami, Florida, and will get married this September. ❯ Rachel Megibow Pitt works as a school psychologist at Oak Park and River Forest High School. She helped author a paper about anti-bullying interventions, program evaluation, and participatory action research in School Psychology Review. ❯ Miranda Steffens graduated with an MFA in writing from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2013. She now works as an English instructor at St. Augustine College in Chicago. She published her ﬁrst book, Peripheral Vision, a lyric essay art-book and e-book, with Meekling Press last July. Learn more at meeklingpress.com. Class Correspondents: Laura J. Wentink Marcasciano 5650 Abbey Drive, Apartment 3P, Lisle, IL 60532-2558, ljmarcasciano@gmail.com Michael C. Sales 32 Elm Street, Apt. 2, Newport, ME 04953, KnoxClassof2007@gmail.com

2008 Tim and Maureen Cole Beishir expect their first child, a baby boy, in April. This will make firsttime grandparents of Doug ’74 and Janet Howell Cole ’74. Tim was recently named a nationally board certified teacher. They looked forward to a couple of Beta weddings in Louisiana: Logan Schroeder ’07 in January and Jake Kuhnline ’07 in March. ❯ Jasmina Ruano says, “Engaged! Getting married October 1, 2016. Other than that, still a bilingual teacher in Milwaukee and loving it. :)” ❯ Kevin Henry says, “Hi guys, I finally have some exciting news to report. I got married on May 15, 2015, to Alice

Marie Wolter. Benjamin Russ ’09 was a groomsman. We expect our first child in February. Hope all is well with everyone!” ❯ Neha Bhatnagar heads Sarvam Foundation in Delhi. Her work in the arts has been recognized around India, but a project close to her heart has been bringing the performing arts to slums in Delhi. Six of her girls from the slums visited Poland for three weeks for an international festival of arts. Their lives have changed and how! She also travels to villages and small towns in India to speak on classical arts to marginalized government school children. Her website is www.sarvamfoundation.in. She is so grateful to her time at Knox for helping her become more open-minded and free. ❯ Michael Marshall left Deloitte in October to join the mergers and acquisitions practice of a mid-sized law firm. ❯ Kevin ’07 and Kimberly Sorensen Megli love life in Fishers, Indiana. Kimberly continues to teach first grade and Kevin began a new job at Salin Bank as vice president/commercial lender after receiving an MBA from Butler University. Daughter Addison Jane is now 2 1/2 and is anxiously awaiting the arrival of her baby brother in April 2016. ❯ Mike Prentice earned his Ph.D. in social and personality psychology from Mizzou in the spring and took a post-doc position at the University of Salzburg in Austria for 2015-2016. Over the summer, he saw lots of Knox friends at the weddings of Matt Allis and Audra Boekenhauer ’09 and Molly Snook ’10 and Joseph Kozlowicz ’11. ❯ Matt Andersson completed a Ph.D. in sociology at the University of Iowa in 2014 and is now a second-year postdoctoral fellow at Yale University. At Yale, he collaborates with faculty in sociology, public health, and network science. This summer, he’ll move to Waco, Texas, to join the health and society faculty at Baylor University as an assistant professor of sociology. ❯ Catherine Ray says, “The year 2016 will be quite a whirlwind! I have started my final six months of residency and

signed a contract with a private practice group in Nashville! Fiancé Kevin took a job at Vanderbilt! All this means we will move to Nashville! We are very excited to be married May 28, 2016, followed by my graduation on June 4. Then on to life in the real world. :)” ❯ Adrianna Greising Crawford still lives in Madison, works at Epic, and keeps busy with running, knitting, curling, and cake decorating. ❯ Pam Bell Lozano had a second baby, Xoaquin Rafael, on October 28, 2015! ❯ Kathryn Sweet is back in school studying network security. Last fall, she was awarded a scholarship to attend the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, where she ran into fellow Knoxie Molly Nicholas! ❯ Maurice Harris moved to Minneapolis for a new job and got married in November. Other than that, nothing too exciting! ❯ Ariel Lauryn says, “I kick off the year as an actor and puppeteer in my ﬁrst Off-Broadway show, which runs through March. In May, I’ll debut my original two-woman farce, Whether We Like It Or Not, here in NYC. Nathan Thompson ’05 and I also have a project in the works that, ﬁngers crossed, will be unveiled this year. Christy Dechaine promised to visit me this year—you guys should keep her to her word. In the meantime, I’m immeasurably proud, inspired, and impressed with everything my Knox friends are up to.” ❯ Ike and Bethany Vittetoe Glinsmann settled back in lovely Madison. Ike does healthcare IT consulting, and Bethany is the program coordinator for a brand new master’s program at UW-Madison. Although they enjoy having incomes again, they have already begun planning for their next overland adventure. ❯ Greg Leibach and Andie Allison were married on June 27, 2015, in Peoria. They had the perfect day celebrating with family, friends, and a big group of Knox alumni. Classmates Brad Middleton, Tim Beishir, Jenna Finley Young, and Leah Heister stood with them on the big

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Marnie Shure ’11 recently became deputy managing editor

Patrick Herlihey ’09 and Lola Copeland ’11—August 22, 2015

Kevin Foerster ’10 and Emily Brasie—October 17, 2015

INCLUDED IN THE PHOTO: Tricia Richert ’11, Sean Kraus ’09, Cassidy Bires ’10, Sean Carmichael ’09, Cary Archer ’09, Nishanth Dittakavi ’09, Brian King ’08, Adam Soto ’10, Sam Gagnard ’08, and officiant Warren Wilke ’07.

day as members of the wedding party. Andie and Greg traveled to Punta Cana after the wedding for a week-long honeymoon in the Dominican. They are enjoying married life together and continue to teach and coach in the Galesburg area. ❯ William Becque got engaged to Jordan Barton. They met while he was a graduate assistant in sports information at Waynesburg University. They will be married on May 29, 2016, in Pennsylvania. William also recently accepted the job of associate sports information director at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. His main responsibilities include coverage of women’s basketball and track and ﬁeld. ❯ Bradley Becque accepted an offer to be the administrative assistant to the director of education at Brehm Preparatory School, a school for students with complex learning disabilities in Carbondale. He says, “This is my third year working at the school, and I can honestly say that I love my job. With a newfound sense of purpose in my professional life, not to mention help from Uncle Sam, I have been able to buy my ﬁrst home. Correspondingly, I recently added a member to my family. His name is Champ, a pit bull puppy rescued from Memphis, Tennessee.” ❯ Erica Stringfellow Tully graduates from Loyola University Chicago (again) on May 12, 2016, and then will continue teaching and be done with graduate school for forever. ❯ Miriam Gillan moved to Chicago and works at a digital marketing agency. She was recently promoted. Class Correspondents: Miriam M. Gillan miriam.gillan@gmail.com Erica Stringfellow Tully e.stringfellow4@gmail.com

2009 Toshia Zessin Albright married Vurtice Albright III in September 2014. She also gave birth to a daughter, Anna Renee Leona Albright, on September 11, 2015. She graduated with a doctorate in organic chemistry from Iowa State University last summer. Class Correspondent: Brittany N. Leggans knoxclassof2009@gmail.com

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

2010 Kevin Foerster enjoyed a wonderful and busy 2015. At the end of April, he closed on his ﬁrst home. On his 27th birthday—May 2, 2015—he ran a half-marathon and proposed to his nowwife, Emily, at his new home. They married during Homecoming weekend in Woodstock, Illinois. Several Knox alums stood up as groomsmen, including David Marquardt ’08, Derek Knobeloch ’09, and Cody Engle. His college roommates were also in attendance: Sam Magnuson, Clayton Besong, and Percy Lee Bromby II. Kevin still works at Abbott Laboratories as a manager of executive compensation. ❯ Carolyn Hill passed the June 2015 California bar and moved to Palo Alto in January 2016 to begin work. ❯ After seven years together, Cassidy Bires and Sean Kraus ’09 got married on September 18, 2015. They held the ceremony and reception at a glass-blowing studio in Chicago and partied all night long with a big group of fellow Knox alumni. They look forward to moving to the Logan Square area and plan several trips together during 2016. ❯ Sam Flanders, Melati Nungsari, and their son, Ehran, attended Homecoming with Nicole Henniger. Ehran turned one on December 7. Sam is ﬁnishing up a Ph.D. at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and Melati is a visiting assistant professor of economics at Davidson College near Charlotte. They are both on the academic job market for tenure positions—wish them luck! ❯ In May 2016, Margaret Spiegel will graduate from University of WisconsinMilwaukee with a master’s in history. She can’t wait to be done with grad school! ❯ Caryn Thompson and Jack Gallalee bought a house in Bloomington, Indiana, while simultaneously adopting another basset hound. Caitlyn is pursuing a master’s in social work at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, and Jack is a VIP at Cook Pharmica. ❯ Samantha Newport is training to become a butcher. She someday hopes to unite her passions for theatre and whole animal butchery by playing Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd. ❯ In May 2016, Sandy Guttman

will complete a master’s in museum and exhibition studies, with a focus on disability and museum access for all. ❯ Aaron ’11 and Andrea Johnston Palmer bought a house! They continue to live the dream in Lexington, Kentucky. ❯ Richard Thiemann relocated to Singapore to continue pursuing his childhood dream of becoming an international internet plumber for ﬁnancial corporations. His sweat glands have slowly adjusted to the tropical climate. ❯ Oliwia Zurek and I keep up our dancing skills at various San Francisco and Palo Alto venues—at least, when we can break away from the lab and law school library (respectively). In May 2016, I will graduate from Berkeley Law and bury myself away in Orange County to study for the bar. Class Correspondent: Lauren Assaf knoxcollege2010notes@gmail.com

2011 Five years have passed since we all walked across the stage to begin our lives as adults. Some of us have walked across another stage since Knox, some of us have walked down an aisle, and some of us across a finish line. Looking at all the incredible things the Class of 2011 has accomplished in our first five years after graduation is truly inspiring! I hope to hear from more of you in October as we celebrate our Reunion! ❯ Lexie Frensley has been very busy since graduation. She adopted a kitten, ran a half-marathon, traveled to Iceland, Mexico, and Germany, and will finish her fourth year of teaching at a charter school in Nashville. More recently, she got engaged! ❯ Helen Hapner will finish the law school program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in May. ❯ Tomi Olotu celebrated three years with Stanbic IBTC Asset Management. ❯ Damilola Olotu graduates from the MBA program at Chicago Booth in June. ❯ Lola Copeland volunteers for the Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign in Fort Collins, Colorado! #FeelTheBern. She married Patrick Herlihey ’09 in August 2015. ❯ Rachel Perez and Lyall Wallerstedt ’10 are engaged. ❯ Chris and Elizabeth Woodyard Johnson ’13 moved to

Class Knox of The Onion.

Lucy Ainsworth ’03 and Alexis Bellet—December 5, 2015

Santa Clara, California, in August 2015; Chris now works as a software engineer for Google in Mountain View. He and Elizabeth have expanded their software company, Mewli Software, LLC. ❯ Carly Kirven found her niche working with entrepreneurs and small business owners in the Galesburg area. Recent projects include the Galesburg Antiques Mall Co. and Barnstormerswood, a reclaimed wood and materials company. ❯ Katie Johnston was promoted to mid-level copywriter at DDB San Francisco in September 2015 after writing a couple of commercials for Slim Jim, including one where an Amish guy makes a “your mom” joke. ❯ Hannah McMahon works about four feet from Joe Kozlowicz in Denver. Sometimes he forgets to shower...Joe and Molly Snook ’10 got married in July 2015, with 35+ Knox graduates in attendance. ❯ Kelly Wiggen works as a veterinarian at VCA Aurora Animal Hospital. She recently applied for veterinary cardiology residencies. ❯ Sasha Murphy is now an eye doctor at Kirschner Vision Source and planning a wedding with Sean Frohling ’10 in November 2016! ❯ Priya Sharma is in her second year of med school at Nova Southeastern University. ❯ Shih Yi Goh is now officially an associate vice president with Bank of America Merrill Lynch London. ❯ Chloe Bohm will run her first full marathon in spring! ❯ Anna Emmerling graduates from law school May 2016. ❯ Leslie Kang is finishing a master’s in urban education at the University of Chicago. ❯ Annie Zak moved to Anchorage, Alaska, to work at a newspaper. She is suddenly deeply afraid of bears. ❯ Andrew Polk is the anchor of Good Morning El Paso Weekend, the Saturday and Sunday morning show for ABC-7/KVIA in El Paso, Texas, and does reporting the rest of the week. ❯ Avi Brongersma works in the financial instruments department at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Rotterdam. He will transfer to the Amsterdam office after the summer. ❯ Sarah Juist is now Reverend Juist. ❯ Marnie Shure recently became deputy managing editor of The Onion, a spouse to Kevin Morris ’11, and the proud owner of a small mutt named Griff. ❯ Jackie Stillmaker is a registered and licensed occupational therapist. ❯ Ndaya Farrell

Claire Turner ’12 and Matthew Brown—September 20, 2015

works from home as a freelance transcriber and will move to Cincinnati. ❯ Zak Kahn is in D.C., turning big pieces of wood into smaller pieces of wood, and then turning the smaller pieces of wood into houses. “Vote for Lynn S. Kahn for President 2016.” ❯ Claire Knowlton now lives in D.C., teaching third grade dual language in Alexandria, Virginia. In April, she will take on the Boston Marathon. ❯ Kristina Niehoff Weisenberger’s hands are full with teaching second grade at King School and keeping up with her two babies. ❯ Mary Reindl continues to make progress toward a M.S.W. from St. Ambrose University. She and DeAndre Henderson ’10 will get married in June 2016. ❯ Caroline Castro works for a nonproﬁt (Girls, Inc.) and lives in New York City. ❯ Alex Davis is in law school... until May at least. ❯ Diana Razo started working as a patient access representative in the Advocate Illinois Masonic Creticos Cancer Center in June 2015. ❯ Chris Bugajski matched with a residency in ocular disease at the Battle Creek, Michigan Hospital, and is currently working toward a fellowship in the American Academy of Optometry. ❯ Shea Strausman graduated from development boot camp, and now works as a software engineer at a startup in the South Loop. ❯ Brigette Demke passed her time as a stroke/telemetry nurse. She now lives with Jon Plotnick ’13 in Ravenswood. Class Correspondent: Tim Schmeling trschmeling@gmail.com

2012 Julia Shenkar lives in Washington, D.C. Her boss gave her a tiny pumpkin last October that hasn’t rotted yet, and she fears it will become her Wilson. ❯ Lauren Greve attends graduate school at the University of Houston in pursuit of a master’s in art history. She also interns at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston and works as an assistant editor for Gulf Coast. She will graduate in May 2016. ❯ Kate Donoghue lives in Dublin, Ireland, where she is pursuing a master’s in drama and performance studies in University College Dublin. Kate recently made her European direc-

torial debut with Side by Side, a new play by Patrick Berigan, which played to a sold-out crowd and raised more than €300 for crisis shelters for Dublin’s homeless population. ❯ Maks Czuperski provided testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. ❯ Steph Nunez works as a certified athletic trainer/instructor for the University of North Dakota women’s basketball team. She will pursue her doctorate this fall. ❯ Lauren Smith lives in Rockford, Illinois, where she works as a Montessori teacher. ❯ Claire Turner lives in Chicago and is now married! She teaches art and Spanish to first-eighth graders, but who knows what life will bring? As always, she continues to kick butt on and off the soccer pitch. ❯ Hayley Schueneman lives in Madison, Wisconsin. She bought a tiny pumpkin at the farmers’ market last October that hasn’t rotted yet, and she fears it will become her Wilson. ❯ Katelynn Schlaman moved to Seattle with fiancé John Gevlin. They will get married in June. She’s about to go to her first water polo practice since Knox. Eek! ❯ Katy Sutcliffe lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and plans to finish up a master of public health degree in hospital epidemiology before she moves to Detroit. ❯ Julia Sievert started grad school in fall 2014, studying sustainability and urban planning in Hamburg, Germany, after working as a foreign language assistant in Germany for two years. She enjoys a nice group of international friends, occasional travel, and an alsterwasser or two. ❯ Adam Mize is in his fourth year of teaching and coaching football in Knoxville, Illinois. He also finished as master’s degree in curriculum and instruction. He will get married September 24, 2016, to a girl who enjoys the countryside just as much as he does! ❯ Kelsey Martinez is still a Ph.D. student at Syracuse University. She did not buy a tiny pumpkin in October, and no one gave her one, so she has no fears it will become her Wilson. ❯ Krista Anne Nordgren lives in Durham, North Carolina, where she owns a brick-and-mortar retail shop and builds websites in her spare time. ❯ Brenna DeGan moved to Des Moines and works at Drake University as a prospect research analyst. ❯ Kate Heitkamp is engaged to Sam

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Grant Lowe ’14 teaches freshman language arts in the town

Cassidy Bires ’10 and Sean Kraus ’09—September 18, 2015

Ellen Jackson Petrila ’12 and Ben Bowers Petrila ’12—September 26, 2015 LEFT TO RIGHT: Elizabeth Woodyard Johnson ’13, Christopher Johnson ’11, Jonathan Pierce-Ruhland ’11, Harley Jackson ’04, Ellen Jackson Petrila ’12, Benjamin Bowers Petrila ’12, James Petrila ’75, Kate Haslem ’13. Photo by Carrie Swails.

Jarvis ’09 and is in her second year of medical school at the University of Illinois in Rockford. ❯ Christina Warner has spent the past two years abroad, working in Taipei, Taiwan, and Shanghai, China, as a management associate with an international trading firm. Next year, she will be part of the Duke Fuqua CC-MBA Class of 2017. ❯ Anne Horrell and David Fundakowski ’11 were married on October 3, 2015, in Kansas City, Missouri. ❯ Brittany Prague is a steamfitter for the Philadelphia Union 420 and is becoming a certified welder. She is newly engaged to Peter Michener. ❯ John Williams left his career in journalism early last year, exploring a future in sustainable produce farming in central Illinois. After an exciting first year working for farms near Watseka and Champaign, he looks forward to a new position at PrairiErth Farm, south of Bloomington, as the organic farm’s post-harvest coordinator. ❯ Ellen Ramsey was promoted to associate director of eligibility services at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Her new position focuses on employee development and performance. ❯ Tory Kassabaum married Tony Meyer ’09 in August. They now live in Columbia, Missouri. ❯ Gillian McKiernan and Kira Schultz teach English in Suwon, South Korea. ❯ Ellen Jackson and Ben Bowers were married in September in Colorado. ❯ Amanda Wollrab Archer will graduate with an MBA from the University of Iowa in May. She spent some time in China in January as part of the university’s global learning program. ❯ Rebekah Bally enjoys her new job helping to transform health and healthcare as facilitation and improvement specialist for Oregon Health Care Quality Corporation. ❯ Karl Bair and Audra Adolph ’09 still rock and roll in Music City, saving lives every day. Their futures are brighter than ever...y’all! ❯ Sara Koehnke spent 2015 traveling the world for International Triathlon Union Paratriathlon. She competed in Yokohama, Japan; Iseo, Italy; Besançon, France; Detroit, Michigan; Austin, Texas; Edmonton, Canada; and Chicago, Illinois. She placed third in the Italy and Canada ITU Paratriathlon events,

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

and second place in the ITU para-open event. She is excited to continue to travel, work hard, and see how low she can get her personal best time to be. She still has her silly little fuzzbutt of a bird, Kio. ❯ Ed Davis finished his master’s degree at Roosevelt University and is officially a Master of Music. Earlier this year, he received a commission to write a new work for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Children’s Chorus, which was performed in May and was featured on the same program as Yo-Yo Ma! He recently finished applying to DMA programs. Next fall, he hopes to be on his way to becoming Dr. Davis. Class Correspondent: Aparna Kumar aparna.kumar05@gmail.com

2013 Class Correspondents: Tina Shuey and Brittany Wisniewski knoxco2013@gmail.com

2014 Olivia Louko moved to Seattle to accept a position with Americorps, which will begin in the fall. ❯ Esther Farler-Westphal works for Fifth Third Bank and has moved to New York City for four-month project. ❯ John Bergholz lives in Chicago (with Mara Bowdy ’13) and works as a copywriter at Magnani Continuum Marketing. ❯ Grant and Paige Anderson Lowe moved to the Seattle area in July. Paige works at a small software consulting company, and Grant teaches freshman language arts in the town where they ﬁlmed the show Twin Peaks. They both like it better than Pennsylvania (sorry, Pennsylvania). ❯ Jess Ranard lives in Washington, D.C., with partner Nat Baldino ’15. She works during the day as a dog walker/pet sitter and the evenings at a very popular and fun D.C. bookstore called Kramerbooks. Jess continues to explore D.C., volunteer for All Souls Unitarian Church, and meet lots of fun and cool folks in her free time. Class Correspondents: Esther Farler-Westphal and Natalia Binkowski Knoxnotes2014@gmail.com

2015

Forrest Marie Linsell works full time at an LGBTQIA community and resource center. ❯ Olaloye Oyedotun is a law student at the University of Leicester. He is the vice president of strategic alliances in the the Leicester Information Technology Law Society. He intends to graduate in June 2017. ❯ Micaela Rodriguez currently attends Northern Illinois University, working on a master’s degree in accounting science. She also works in the Ofﬁce of the Vice Provost for Academic Planning and Development as a graduate research assistant. ❯ Kayla Anderson is still in Galesburg, bartending at a Soangetaha Country Club while she decides on graduate schools. ❯ Rebecca Duffy works for Cardinal Health, a Fortune 500 company that distributes medical supplies to hospitals around the world, as a senior specialist ﬁeld service representative. ❯ Matt Klich has run Clik Entertainment full-time as its president since graduation. He has increased its customer base, hired more workers, and expanded its equipment inventory. ❯ Nesha Harper currently lives in St. Louis with boyfriend Ryan Hoffman ’13 and attends graduate school at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, pursuing a master’s degree in clinical psychology. She also works as a senior research assistant at school and an overnight instructor at the Saint Louis Zoo. ❯ Roman Magid attends medical school at Midwestern University in Chicago ❯ After graduation, Eve Martinez began a Ph.D. program in chemistry at Purdue University, working under Dr. Suzanne Bart, and is researching in an organometallic/inorganic group. ❯ Brian Tanaka is an organist and accompanist for Grace Presbyterian Church in Temple, Texas. He currently works with the choir director, Chelsea Stern, who was on the hymnal committee that developed the recently released Presbyterian hymnal, Glory to God. ❯ Linda Kim works at Glass Lyre Press, a small, independent poetry publishing house near her hometown of Glenview, Illinois, as an associate editor. She

Class Knox where they filmed the show Twin Peaks.

Sarah Brookings ’06 and Patrick Connor—June 18, 2015

Carolyn Hill ’10 and Daniel Leigh—March 28, 2015 LEFT TO RIGHT: Molly Stein ’11, Carly Kauffman ’10, Stephanie Peter ’13, Kristal Romero ’13 (standing), Aimee Neilan ’13 (squatting), Carolyn Hill ’10, Daniel Leigh, Jessi Chan ’10, Cody Dailey ’12, Ginny Graves ’10, Hannah Basil ’13, and Emily Putnam ’10.

works primarily with submissions and manuscripts, evaluating, copy-editing, and proofreading, and works with authors throughout the submission process. ❯ Bruce Kovanen is currently enrolled in graduate school at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, working toward an M.A. and Ph.D. in writing studies. ❯ Samantha Perez currently works in Berlin. ❯ Camille Brown is working on an M.A. at Mills College and has been selected as a panelist at the American Literature Association Symposium in San Antonio in February. ❯ Oscar Hallas works on music and writing, and earns cash by doing some freelance writing and catering. ❯ Since graduating, Griffin Belzer has acquired a job as a designer with a graphic design agency based in San Francisco called Sketchdeck. ❯ Aidan Juhl lives in Chicago and works at a software company called Z2 System. ❯ Bridget Doherty currently teaches K-6 art at a public school in Des Plaines, Illinois. ❯ Martina Bergstrom lives in Galesburg and teaches music to second-, third-, fourth-, and ﬁfth-graders at Gale and Steele Elementary Schools. ❯ Abby Kravis currently works in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains with the Maryland Conservation Corps through Americorps. ❯ Shelby Holdener is pursuing a master’s degree in accounting at the University of Utah. Upon graduation in May 2016, Shelby will become an auditor at KPMG in St. Louis. ❯ Samantha Lizak teaches ﬁfth grade in the Milwaukee public school system with Teach for America. ❯ Sophia Gimenez is in the history of art and architecture Ph.D. program at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She leads undergraduate course sections as a teaching assistant and also works in the department’s image resource center. ❯ Finally, Forrest Marie Linsell shared her memories of Stephen Ford, who died earlier this spring, “Every night of orientation week, I came back to my dorm room in the quads and swapped stories of exploration with my roommate, Stephen Ford. Sometimes, Stephen had been out with me; other times we had been venturing through different parts of Knox. I had only

known him for a few days at that point, but I could already tell that he was a very special young man. Stephen was always bright and shining, usually with a big sunﬂower smile. But even on tough days, Stephen glowed with love and serenity. If you ever came to Stephen with a problem, pain, or confusion, he would give you the gift of his entire presence. When Stephen was talking and listening to you, it felt like you were the only person in the whole world. His energy was overﬂowing. If you needed a good cry and compassion, Stephen was always there. It was also SO easy to laugh with Stephen. Stephen was a creator of good times, eager to share the joy with all that seemed so natural to him. Stephen and I were roommates all four years, and it was during our sophomore year that I realized that I had been blessed by divinity to have this young man so close in my life. Stephen was a true adventurer, trying his hand at everything, always eager for new experiences, never afraid of challenges or failure; those were rare for him, and when they did come he took them in stride with a serenity and a Taoist perspective that everything had its place and time. Stephen had an immensely deep well of love, and an unparalleled comfort with himself, sure in his values and desires while remaining open to change.” Class Correspondent: Erik Gustafson gustafson.erik.j@gmail.com

Marriages and Unions Ellen Anne Eddy ’75 and Don Bowers ’75 on 11/21/15. Brynn Seibert ’01 and Jim Baker on 9/26/14. Brynna Barnhart ’03 and Case Blodgett on 9/19/15. Kimberly Van Winkle ’03 and Brian Spires on 9/19/15. Lucy Ainsworth ’03 and Alexis Bellet on 12/5/2015. Emily Bell ’04 and Sean Patton on 5/2/15.

Marcy Wiget ’04 and Charles Huggard on 10/6/15. Susie Walton ’05 and Evan Bradley on 11/7/15. Justin Loepker ’06 and Angela Voorhis on 4/11/15. Sarah Brookings ’06 and Patrick Connor on 6/18/15. Megan Rehberg ’06 and Sean McDaniel on 12/31/15. Sarah Ellis ’07 and Andrew Meador ’10 on 9/4/15. Kevin Henry ’08 and Alice Marie Walter on 5/15/15. Andie Allison ’08 and Greg Leibach ’08 on 6/27/15. Maurice Harris ’08 and Molly Greider on 11/27/15. Audra Boekenhauer ’09 and Matt Allis ’08 on 6/27/15. Cheyenne Cortez ’10 and Joshua Franklin ’07 on 6/1/14. Carolyn Hill ’10 and Daniel Leigh on 3/28/15. Molly Snook ’10 and Joseph Kozlowicz ’11 on 7/11/15. Kevin Foerster ’10 and Emily Brasie on 10/17/15. Cassidy Bires ’10 and Sean Kraus ’09 on 9/18/15. Marnie Shure ’11 and Kevin Morris ’11 on 5/23/15. Lola Copeland ’11 and Patrick Herlihey ’09 on 8/22/15. Tory Kassabaum ’12 and Tony Meyer ’09 on 8/22/15. Claire Turner ’12 and Matthew Brown on 9/20/15. Ellen Jackson ’12 and Ben Bowers ’12 on 9/26/15. Anne Horrell ’12 and David Fundakowski ’11 on 10/3/15.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

In Memoriam Wayne Green, Professor Emeritus of Physics Wayne Green, professor emeritus of physics and a former trustee at Carl Sandburg College, died Tuesday, October 27, 2015, in Galesburg Cottage Hospital. He was 91. Green was born June 19, 1924, in Coldwater, Michigan, the son of Russell M. and Blanche (Beckwith) Green. He married Darlene M. Mills on June 16, 1956, in Galesburg. He earned his bachelor’s degree in 1949 from Kalamazoo College and his Ph.D. in 1954 from Ohio State University. He moved to Galesburg in 1954 and began his 35-year career at Knox College, where he was a professor, chairman of the Department of Physics, registrar, and president of the Knox College Credit Union. In 1987, Green began hosting the Science Building Coffee Hour in the basement of the Umbeck Science-Mathematics Center, a tradition that lasted more than 20 years. “Professor Green combined a high dedication to teaching physics and graceful spirit of camaraderie with countless students and all his colleagues,” then-Knox College Dean John Strassburger said upon Professor Green’s retirement. “He also has been unstinting in working with high school teachers to promote physics.” Green served on the advisory committee for the State Board of Education in the area of science assessment, was a member and past president of the Illinois Community College Trustee Association and the Illinois Science Teachers Association, and was a member of the Illinois Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers. He was a recipient of the Illinois Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers Distinguished Service Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Physics Teaching; the Illinois Science Teachers Association Distinguished Service Award; and the Illinois Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers Distinguished Service Award. He was the director of the Prairieland Credit Union and was an Illinois Credit Union Hall of Fame inductee. Green was also instrumental in the Adult Education Reform Act HB1287 in 1996. An active member of the Galesburg community, Green served as a member of and chairman of the board of trustees for Carl Sandburg College and held many ofﬁces with the Knox County United Way. In 2008, he received the Thomas B. Herring Community Service Award, which the Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce gives each year to “an outstanding area FILE PHOTO citizen who has distinguished himself or herself through service to the community.” He also served in the United States Army Air Corps from 1943 to 1945. Green is survived by his wife of 59 years, Darlene; two sons, David ’81 (and Kassie) Green of Scottsdale, Arizona, and Michael ’85 (and Megan) Green of Chicago; a daughter, Nancy Green of Chicago; six grandchildren, Kimberly (and Tanner), David (and Robin), Tyler, Samuel, Alexander, and Sonia; six great-grandchildren, Kiana, Caleb, Riley, Katie, Jaxson, and Logan; a brother, Gerald Green of Woodstock, Connecticut; and a nephew, Steve Green of Underhill, Vermont. He was preceded in death by his parents. Memorial contributions may be made to the Knox College Schulz Green Fund by contacting gifts@knox.edu.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

Deaths Alice Johnson Carpenter ’33 on 8/4/09. Dorothy Peterson Ray ’39 on 9/29/15. Jean Todd Gessner ’41 on 7/4/15. Ruth Petersen ’41 on 8/14/15. Frances Shultz Blackburn ’41 on 12/23/15. Martha Eads Ward ’42 on 7/2/15. Martha Welsh Davis ’42 on 8/24/15. Donald Rennie ’42 on 8/31/15. Richard Cheney ’43 on 9/2/15. Janice Zimmerman Strawbridge ’43 on 11/12/15. Winifred Marlink Shedd ’44 on 12/25/15. Emma Eastman Little ’45 on 7/10/15. Jean Hunter Stem ’45 on 11/26/15. Howard Watt ’46 on 11/12/14. Ruth Drinkall Costello ’47 on 4/22/15. Edgar Luttrell ’47 on 8/4/15. Betty Abney Russell ’48 on 10/2/15. Mary “Molly” Lampe Sturtevant ’48 on 1/8/16. Richard Galloway ’49 on 3/29/15. Lois Lennstrum King ’49 on 10/13/15. Shir Lee Johnson Price ’49 on 5/17/15. Lorraine Soucek Richards ’49 on 10/1/15. Carol Turner Compton ’51 on 1/8/16. Mary Nalbach Smith ’51 on 3/14/13. Carl Cue ’51 on 5/13/15. Dickson Young ’51 on 10/2/15. Marshall Weir ’52 on 5/29/15. Lorraine Blondeel Hurst ’52 on 6/27/15. C. Richard Wagner ’52 on 9/12/15. Jean Pope Matthews ’53 on 8/10/14. Delmar Anderson ’53 on 8/1/15. James Johnson ’53 on 8/21/15. E. Richard Johnson ’53 on 10/10/15. Thomas Heuerman ’54 on 10/8/15. Carol Le Cuyer Almgren ’54 on 1/26/16. Daniel Clymore Jr. ’55 on 7/19/15. Cherrill Emmons McReynolds ’55 on 9/26/15. Lila Weinberg Lorton ’55 on 1/1/16. Sara Wells Pennington ’55 on 11/14/15. Robert Bollinger ’56 on 5/29/15. Jeretta Popham Garner ’56 on 12/23/15. Beverly Lenz Foote ’56 on 3/22/15. Delmar Foote ’57 on 3/26/14. Robert Scott ’57 on 7/13/15. Ralph Lundgren ’57 on 10/3/15. Richard Croson ’59 on 10/26/15. Dorothy Schulein Borchardt ’59 on 11/26/15. Penny Bjorkman ’60 on 9/10/15. Alice Jacoby ’60 on 12/12/15. Cynthia Edelmann Billings ’62 on 8/11/15. James Michels ’64 on 5/25/14. Garry Fleming ’64 on 4/21/15. Leverne Mark ’65 on 12/7/15. John Force ’66 on 2/10/15. Susan McKinlay Harried ’66 on 4/5/15. Malcolm Wilson ’67 on 8/20/15. Robert Swigart Jr. ’68 on 8/17/15. Diane Burwig Beardsley ’68 on 10/8/15. Michael Burns ’69 on 7/16/15. Edgar Andreas ’69 on 9/30/15. Thomas Fitzpatrick ’70 on 6/12/13.

Class Knox John “Bill” Kasik ’70 on 5/5/2015. Melissa Lind ’71 on 7/10/15. Sylvia Lindbeck ’71 on 8/13/15. Phillip Watkins ’71 on 8/24/15. Christopher Martin ’71 on 12/17/15. Marta Anderson Butts ’72 on 4/23/15. Linda Stuckel ’74 on 11/5/15. John North ’75 on 12/10/15. Patricia Berg ’76 on 8/21/15. Mary Kinderski ’78 on 8/16/14. Paul Brauer ’78 on 10/26/15. Victoria Spinazzola ’78 on 10/30/15. Geoffrey Nash ’79 on 10/8/15. Mary Filosa Brown ’82 on 8/18/15. Michael Sieg ’83 on 7/11/15. Mary Carney Dawson ’92 on 2/23/16. Mark Lehmann ’96 on 8/31/15. Desmond Fortes ’00 on 11/8/15. Cecilee Farris ’05 on 9/9/15. Stephen Ford ’15 on 2/11/16.

Deaths of Friends Richard Lawton, husband of Doris Janes Lawton ’60, on 3/10/14. John Patton, husband of Pamela Messer Patton ’83, on 6/24/14. Leland Wilson, friend of the College, on 7/30/14. Susan Jo Ehlert, wife of Dave Ehlert ’59, on 11/8/14. Samuel Feldman, father of Ann Feldman Perille ’76 and father-in-law of Thomas Perille ’76, on 11/24/14. William Dunhouse, friend of the College, on 12/27/14. Jason Yost, husband of Jennifer Nye Yost ’99, on 12/31/14. Kathy Massey, wife of Mark Massey ’71 and mother of Evan Massey ’10, on 1/17/15. James Costello, husband of Ruth Drinkall Costello ’47, on 2/10/15. Willard Klewin, widower of Anne Gustafson Klewin ’49 and father of Kenneth Klewin ’79, on 2/12/15. John Blocker, husband of Joyce Lawton Blocker ’58, on 2/24/15. Marion Murphy, widow of Robert Murphy ’31, mother of Jim Murphy ’82, and grandmother of Tony Etz ’83, on 3/16/15. Jayne Fentem, wife of Thomas Fentem ’73, on 3/30/15. Mary Kingsley, friend of the College, on 4/15/15. Gordon Allen Carrigan Jr., friend of the College, on 4/21/15. Atta Asimeng, father of Nikki Asimeng ’15, on 4/22/15. Harry Axelrod, father of David Axelrod ’67, on 4/24/15.

Willa Howard, friend of the College, on 5/7/15. Jill Gibbs, grandmother of Clifton “Zach” Kirven ’09 and Carly Kirven ’11, on 5/10/15. Virginia Swank, friend of the College, on 5/15/15. Fred Bieber, grandfather of Andrew “AJ” Shule ’11, on 5/19/15. Marjorie Tolley, mother-in-law of Margaret Shragal Tolley ’73, on 6/1/15. Margaret “Maggie” Green, friend of the College, on 6/18/15. Luana Himelick, friend of the College, on 6/23/15. Inez Powell, friend of the College, on 6/28/15. Edward Gross, widower of Kedrin Harr Gross ’47, on 7/16/15. Aroxie Feldman, mother of Ann Feldman Perille ’76 and mother-in-law of Thomas Perille ’76, on 7/18/15. Terry Like, retired from facilities, on 7/26/15. Carol Krueger, widow of Robert Krueger ’57, on 7/26/15. Robert Wilson, brother of Vicki Trant, business ofﬁce, on 7/27/15. Judy Sunderland, mother of Scott Sunderland, athletics, on 7/30/15. Jo Ann Kelley, grandmother of Jared Kelly ’05, on 8/9/15. William Cecil, father of Randi Cecil ’15, on 8/9/15. Robert “Bud” Maust Jr., father of Scott Maust, facilities, on 8/15/15. Julian Bond, civil rights activist and uncle of Julian Bond ’91, on 8/15/15. Theresa Clay, sister of John Clay ’72, on 8/15/15. Wilson Mohr, husband of Tracey Thayer Mohr ’81, on 8/21/15. Marjorie Griffith, mother of Tom Griffith, facilities and grandmother of Donovan Griffith ’07, on 8/23/15. Margaret Dewitt, friend of the College, on 8/25/15. Daniel Pelton, husband of Dawn Lindsey Pelton ’88, on 9/7/15. Ruby Anderson, mother of Jeffrey Anderson ’80, Laurie Anderson ’77, and Carolyn Anderson ’73, on 9/9/15. Mary Beth Colburn, friend of the College, on 9/11/15. Elizabeth “Lee” Winter, mother of Denise Bailey, advancement, and Rich Winter ’77; and grandmother of Michelle Bailey Vella ’95 and Michael (Mike) Bailey ’99, on 9/12/15. Melba Jones Deckard, friend of the College, on 9/13/15. Linda Jordan, mother of Jacqueline Morrical ’88, on 9/26/15. Indrika De Silva, mother of Thamindri De Silva ’99, on 9/28/15. Dorothy Miller, friend of the College, on 9/29/15. John Clark, father of James Clark ’09, athletics, on 9/30/15.

Mary K. Matson Neagle, friend of the College, on 9/30/15. William Barnds, friend of the College, on 10/4/15. Charlotte Nichols, mother of Joseph Nichols ’79 and John Nichols ’79, on 10/7/15. Robert McMillan, father of Steve McMillan ’83, on 10/9/15. Carlos Franco, father of Gina Franco, associate professor of English, on 10/10/15. Donald Schaefer, former education professor, on 10/10/15. Carroll Watts, father of Christine Watts ’72, on 10/16/15. Margaret “Peg” Risen, friend of the College, on 10/19/15. Edward “Ron” Sprague, husband of Rita Sprague, retired director of personnel, and father of Lori Sprague Link ’87, on 10/21/15. Calvin Cokel, husband of Carissa Cole Cokel ’12, on 10/22/15. D. Wayne Green, emeritus professor of physics, on 10/27/15. Beth Jonsberg, admission, on 10/28/15. Robyn Broadfield, mother of Chante Johnson ’14, on 10/31/15. Joan Frisbee Neff, friend of the College, on 11/2/15. Lillian Pogue, widow of Bernard Pogue ’49, on 11/9/15. Fern Saline, mother-in-law of Terrie Saline, assistant dean and director of the Bastian Family Career Center, on 11/12/15. Don Lawton, retired from dining services, on 12/6/15. Andy Pitman, facilities, on 12/11/15. Jan Cohen, husband of Sheila Guter Cohen ’72, on 12/12/15. Gilbert Douglas, stepfather of Darren Olson ’94, on 12/16/15. Neil Giffey, father of Anne Giffey, assistant librarian, on 12/16/15. Danny Campbell, brother of Terrie Saline, Bastian Family Career Center, on 1/6/16. Larry Champion, husband of Karen Sanders Raleigh ’72, on 2/7/16. David Youngren, father of Marcy Simkins, human resources, on 2/12/16. Ivan Craig Steward, brother of Justin Roberson, campus safety, on 2/21/16. Billie Jean Bailey, wife of Mike Bailey, retired from facilities, and sister-in-law of Denise Bailey, advancement, on 3/2/16.

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2016

A Work in Progress The spring sun shines on the construction of the new Whitcomb Art Building. Work on the building began last fall and is progressing at a steady pace, with an expected completion date of fall 2016. To follow the construction progress, visit whitcombartbuilding.tumblr.com. Photo by Peter Bailley â&#x20AC;&#x2122;74

KNOX MAGAZINE Spring 2015

Parting Shot

Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage PAID Knox College

MAGAZINE Knox College Galesburg, Illinois 61401-4999

A New Fire is Burning! Knox unveiled a new Prairie Fire logo in front of hundreds of basketball fans on Saturday, February 6. “We want our logo to represent the passion, pride, strength, and excellence exemplified by our coaches and athletes,” said Chad Eisele ’93, director of athletics, at the reveal. “We want it to build pride and excitement in our athletics program and to help us recruit a new generation of Knox student-athletes.” Athletics partnered with Communications, Admission, and Advancement on the project and worked with SME Branding on logo development and design. Merchandise featuring the new logo is available in the Knox College bookstore or online at knoxshop.knox.edu.